Erik’s Vengeance
by ToryD
Summary: Modern Day. Erik seeks revenge on a love betrayed. Christine has lost everything at the hands of her former lover, Can their love overcome all of the hurt and anger? Oh this story getting so good now! Go Erik! Claim your Christine!
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**A/N Welcome to my third attempt at POTO FanFiction. This will have a very dark Erik in the majority of the story as he is seeking revenge on Christine for her past betrayal. I will have Nadir, Marie and possibly a Meg in this story. Please let me know how you like it. Thanks!**

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Adora**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 1**

Erik Dessler stood gazing unseeingly out of his corner office window as the afternoon sun beat down unmercifully in the clear August sky. He should be elated that his sole goal of the last fifteen years was about to finally be obtained. So why was he feeling this undeniable gut wrenching apprehension he silently asked himself. A humorless laugh escaped his lips as he faced the cold reality of his unease, for he was about to come face to face his most treacherous enemy. Closing his eyes against the overwhelming pain that clenched at his heart, he allowed himself to say the forbidden name, "Christine." The tortured whisper did nothing to ease the weight in his chest that threatening to cut off his air supply. He clenched his hands into tight fists in an attempt to bank down the unwanted emotion that her name brought to him, for in another lifetime she had been the very air he breathed. _Christine_ he thought to himself as he pictured her as she once was, innocent, beautiful and oh so accepting of him in spite of himself. And he had loved her. Loved her with an unselfish, overpowering love that promised to transcend more than just one short lifetime. He had loved her as he would never love again. His one and only love, his Christine, the one who he trusted so faithfully with possession of his lonely heart. She had been his one and only reason for living this miserable life that God had so cruelly granted to him. Hell, he thought to himself, she was still his only reason for living; only instead of the all-encompassing love that once was; now there was only black cancerous hate. Hate and the undeniable thirst for vengeance. Vengeance that was at long last, finally at hand.

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Christine sat beside her smug father as the limousine made its way through the busy Manhattan traffic. Sighing deeply she turned to her father and once again tried to garner the reason for her required presence at this meeting. "Father, who is it that we are meeting with?"

Charles looked up from his Wall Street Journal and gave his daughter a look of distain. "Nadir Kahn from VIM Industries, he is the man who is giving Smythe Holdings the necessary loan so that we can stay in business." He father said in a bored tone.

"I still don't understand why I must attend this meeting." Christine commented dryly.

"Nor do I, but that is beside the point. For some reason the deal is hinging on your presence today. It could be that the owner of the company has taken a fancy to you and wants to meet you, so I expect you to keep that in mind and smile at whoever is in attendance." He instructed in a firm tone that raked across Christine's nerves.

"VIM Enterprises, I don't ever recall hearing of that company before." Christine said as she racked her brain for some familiar connotation from the name.

"It is a privately held company. Reputed to be worth over 250 billion dollars and all owned by one man." Charles informed her as he went back to his paper.

"Is Mr. Kahn the gentleman who owns VIM Enterprise?" She asked as the limousine pulled up to the glass walled skyscraper that housed the offices of VIM Enterprises.

Charles sighed in irritation at the incessant questions his tiresome daughter was asking. Folded his paper and tossed it carelessly on the seat in front of him. "No one knows who the owner of VIM Enterprises is, that my dear is the best kept secret in all of New York. But I will tell you this Christine; whoever he is, he is a genius. To have a company go from nothing to the success it has obtained today in eight short years is a feat that has never been achieved. We are very fortunate that they have agreed to fund our shortfall."

Christine turned her face away to hide the injustice of her father's comment, for it was he with his excessive lifestyle and uncontrollable gambling habit that had run her grandfather's business into the ground. Smiling a polite smile, she accepted the chauffeur's hand as she exited the luxurious car with an elegant grace that denoted the years of formal ballet training that she had received at her mother's insistence. Shielding her eyes against the bright afternoon sun, Christine joined her father as they walked towards the building that housed the man who would save her family from ruin.

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Nadir gave a profunctionary knock on Erik's office door before he entered. "They have just arrived." He informed his long time friend and employer.

Erik tensed at the news of Christine's presence within his building. His heart began to race at the thought of seeing her once again. He knew that the years had been kind to her, as he had viewed numerous pictures in the weekly reports on her comings and goings for the last five years. "Tell Sharon to have them wait." He said to his vice president.

"Alright Erik." Nadir said in a quiet tone in deference to the solomn nature of the moment at hand.

Erik sank down into his soft leather chair and raked a trembling hand through his thick brown hair. "Damn it!" He cursed himself for the all-encompassing fear that filled him at the prospect of seeing the only woman he had ever loved. Loved, he thought with a disgusted look upon his face. Love that had turned his heart into an empty shell with only one purpose to fulfill in his lonely life. That purpose was to have her pay. Pay in the same way he had for the simple misfortune of loving her. Closing his eyes against the intense pain of her ruthless betrayal, he tried to regain some semblance of strength in order to carry out his carefully orchestrated plan. Looking at his watch, he was surprised that he had been sitting here for over an hour. Picking up his phone, he dialed Nadir's private office line. "You can proceed." He said in a calm voice that belied the inner turmoil wreaking havoc on his normally controlled emotions.

"You got it boss." Nadir replied in a determined tone as he picked up the folder that was labeled Smythe Holdings.

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Charles paced restlessly in the professionally decorated conference room that they had been waiting in for over an hour. "How long are they planning on keeping us waiting?" Charles asked more to himself than to his daughter.

"Father, I'm sure that they will be here momentarily. I do wish that they would hurry," She said as she looked at the slim gold watch that graced her fragile wrist. "I need to get home to mother before her treatment begins." She said as she began to worry about her mother who was due for her chemotherapy treatment in less than two hours. "Please sit down, you're making me nervous." She said as she brushed a wrinkle from her navy suit.

"You should be nervous!" He snarled at her in an unbecoming tone. "If this deal falls through we lose everything."

"You're being a little dramatic. I still have the money that grandfather left to me." Christine informed him as she thought of the generous trust fund that housed over five million dollars. "We will all be able to live comfortably on that if it should come to it." She said in a soft voice designed to alleviate his fears.

Charles paled sharply at the mention of his daughter's trust fund. "Uh, yes of course." He mumbled in response causing the hair on Christine's neck stand on end.

Christine eyed her father suspiciously, as he had the look of guilt about him. "Father…" she began only to be interrupted by the opening of the conference room door.

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Nadir opened the conference room door and instantly felt the tension that was filling the room. "Mr. Daae," he said in a welcoming tone in direct contrast to the true intent of his feelings. Holding out his hand, he shook the older man's hand with a firm grip. Turning to the beautiful young woman, Nadir offered her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It is a pleasure to meet you Ms. Daae, my name is Nadir Kahn." He said as he offered his hand to the woman who had so brutally wronged his closest friend.

Taking his hand, Christine smiled up into his dark handsome face. "Mr. Kahn." She greeted him in a professional tone.

Indicating the young professional woman at his side, Nadir introduced her as his executive assistant. "This is Rachel my assistant; she will be notarizing the contract for us this afternoon." He said as he poured himself a glass of chilled water from the carafe at the center of the table. "Has Sharon offered you a drink?" He asked in a friendly tone.

"Yes, she has been very attentive." Charles said in a practiced condescending tone that set Nadir's teeth on edge.

"Good, shall we begin?" He said as he took a seat across the table and opened the thick folder. "Here is the agreement that I had sent over to your attorney last week. We have made the change per your attorney's instructions." Nadir said as he pushed the revised contract towards Charles.

Charles took the thick contract within his hands and looked for the corrected terms on page thirty-two. Seeing that all was in order he felt an immense sense of relief as he took out his gold pen. "Everything looks to be in order." He said as he flipped to the last page that already housed the illegible signature of the owner of VIM Enterprises. Signing his name with a flourish, he silently congratulated himself at the brilliance of his achievement.

Nadir held his hand out to receive the signed contract. "Rachel, if you would please notarize Mr. Daae's signature." He asked the brunette seated to his left.

"Yes of course Mr. Kahn." She said as she took out her stamp and filled in the necessary information. Handing the contract back to her boss, she excused herself from the meeting. "I'll be at my desk if you need anything further."

"Thank you Rachel." He said absently as he took hold of the contract that Erik had worked so hard to obtain over the last fifteen years. Taking his cell phone from his pocket, he dialed the president of the bank who he had on stand-by. "Robert, Nadir here, please proceed with the wire transfer. Yes I will hold for conformation."

Charles' eyes took on a greedy gleam that Christine found utterly distasteful as they awaited the conclusion of Mr. Kahn's call.

"Thank you Robert." Nadir said as he ended the call. Turning his attention back to Charles, Nadir offered the use of his phone for his own verification. "If you would care to call your bank Mr. Daae?"

"Call me Charles and I don't believe that will be necessary." He said in a jovial tone.

Nadir knew that Erik would insist that his plan be carried out to the smallest detail. "Please Charles, I afraid that I must insist as we want to be assured that all is in order before you leave here today."

Christine was puzzled at the strange request from the dark man seated opposite her. She also felt as though he didn't particularly care for her for some unknown reason as his eyes held an unmistakable distain when he glanced at her.

Charles shrugged his shoulders at the uncommon request. "No problem." He said as he took out his cell phone and dialed the direct line to his long time banker. "Steve, how are you?" Charles asked in a tone that belied his interest. "Good, good. I wonder if you could do me a favor and check my account for an incoming wire." Charles smiled into the watchful eyes of the dark man seated across from him. "Yes 75,000,000, that is correct. Excellent. Thank you. Yes I'll call you next week." He ended the call and stood to hold out his hand. "The wire has arrived." He said in confirmation as he shook Nadir's hand.

"Good, if you have just a few more minutes, I have someone who wants to meet with you." Nadir said as he placed the signed contract safely within the folder.

Christine tried to hide her annoyance at the prospect of being detained. "Mr. Kahn, forgive me but I must be going, my mother is ill and I need to see to her." Christine informed him in a soft voice.

Nadir offered her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Ms. Daae, but you are the one that my employer expressed an interest in meeting."

Frowning in confusion Christine tried to imagine why she would be of interest to anyone let alone a reclusive billionaire. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Let me get him, after you meet him I'm sure that you will understand everything perfectly." Nadir said with a coldness evident in his tone that caused Christine to recoil in her seat as fear began to set in. "Excuse me; I will only be a moment." He said as he took his leave.

Charles turned his attentions on his daughter. "What's he talking about?" He demanded in an authoritative tone.

"I don't know." Christine whispered back shakily.

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Knocking softly on Erik's office door Nadir took a deep breath before he pushed the double doors open. Closing the door behind him, he walked towards his long time friend and former cellmate. "It is done." He said quietly.

Erik closed his eyes at the news of his success. Surprisingly he did not feel the immense satisfaction that he thought this moment would bring. Unable to turn and face his friend, Erik continued to stare out at the New York Skyline. "How does she look?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"She is even more beautiful than her pictures." Nadir said in a flat tone.

Smiling slightly, Erik knew that Christine would always be a beautiful woman, albeit if only on the surface, for her inner soul held an indisputable ugliness that would have rivaled his once deformed face. "And her father. Is he beside himself with self-satisfaction?" He asked with irritation surrounding each syllable.

Nadir let a laugh escape his lips as he thought of the pompous man who was about to be destroyed. "Yes, I believe that to be a very apt description."

"Well then, I guess we had better change his current demeanor." Erik said in a firm voice. Squaring his shoulders, he turned to face his best friend and the only person he would ever trust. "Shall we close this deal?" He asked as he had numerous times in the past ten years.

Nadir looked into the hard cold depths of Erik's green eyes and nodded, hoping that the coming restitution would finally give Erik some peace from his painful past.

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Christine felt an uneasiness settle around her as she waited to meet the mysterious owner of VIM Enterprises. Glancing at her father she was not surprised to see that he seemed to care little for her discomfort, for he was to busy celebrating his current victory. Reaching out a shaking hand for the glass of water before her, she took a sip and prayed that this would soon be over so that she could finally leave this place and attend to her dying mother. Closing her eyes, she cursed herself for her dark thoughts on her mother's fate. Miracles happened everyday. Scientist discovered new treatments all the time. She said silently to herself in an attempt to push away the dire conclusions she had yet to find the courage to face. Hearing the door open she placed her glass carefully upon the beautifully finished table. Looking up she saw Mr. Kahn enter the room with a taller well-dressed man at his heels. Pasting a smile of greeting on her face, she rose to her feet and turned her attention to the man who was hidden from her view. Her smile faltered as the blood rapidly drained from her stunned face. She felt as if someone had just walked across her grave as she looked up into the unblemished face that she thought she would never again see in this lifetime. "Erik" she cried in a tortured voice.

Erik looked into the frightened blue eyes of his former lover with a cold menacing stare. "Hello Christine." He said in a chilling voice that pierced her very soul.

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**A/N Christine is in big trouble here! Next chapter will give you some back-story on why Erik is seeking vengeance on her and her family. Let me know what you think in the reviews.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**Author – ToryD**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 2**

Erik's cold words reverberated off her confused mind as she stared in hopeless fascination at his handsome face. Gripping the edge of the conference room table for support, Christine swallowed hard at the look of utter contempt she was receiving from Erik. "Your face…" she whispered in a questioning tone.

Erik allowed himself a slight smile. "Yes, it is amazing what plastic surgery can do these days. I'd even bet that your father has yet to recognize me," he said as he turned his attention to his former employer.

Charles rose to greet the mysterious owner of VIM Enterprises. "Have we met before?" he asked with his hand extended before him, unaware to the deadly undercurrents within the room.

Erik lazily took his chair at the head of the long conference table, pointedly ignoring Charles' out stretched hand. "'Met' might not quite be the word I would use," he said with a smugness that caused Charles for frown. "How would you answer your father's question Christine?"

Christine jumped at the sound of her name on his lips. Turning towards her father, she shook her head in bewilderment. Taking a deep breath, she pooled her courage to get through the next few minutes. "Father, you must remember Erik Dessler. He and his mother worked for us at the house," she informed her father in a quiet voice.

"The deformed stable boy?" Charles asked with an astonished look on his face.

"Yes," Christine whispered back embarrassed at her father's thoughtless comment as she sank down into her own chair. From beneath her thick lashes, Christine stole a look at this stranger who was her once loving Erik. How different he looked, not just in the physical sense, for his physical transformation was nothing less than miraculous. However, as much as his appearance had changed, there seemed to be a more profound change in the man whom she had once pined all her dreams of happiness upon. She felt her eyes begin to well with tears as she remembered the young and innocent love they had once shared…a love that held such a pure promise of partnership and everlasting devotion. She felt a lone tear fall upon her cheek and turned away from the other three men to hide her sorrow of all that she had lost.

Erik felt his heart stop at the sight of Christine's tears. Clenching his hand into a tight fist under the table, he bitterly reminded himself that he was here to realize his one and only goal of the past fifteen years. The one goal that he had worked nonstop for, all of the eighteen hour days he put in were finally about to pay off. For here she was, within the palm of his hand, ready to be destroyed, as he was when her careless lies betrayed him and their love. Crossing his legs in a grand gesture of boredom, he turned and addressed his vice president. "Nadir, you may proceed."

Nadir reached into the thick folder and pulled out the court ordered document. "Mr. Daae, VIM is hereby formally calling in the loan," he said in a cold tone that chilled the blood within Christine's veins.

"What in the hell are you talking about? You can't call in a loan we just finalized twenty minutes ago!" Charles yelled as his face began to turn red with suppressed rage.

Nadir pushed the document towards the older man. "As a matter of fact we can. If you had read your contract carefully, you would have seen the clause for an immediate call on the loan if there were any discrepancies found in the ownership of the collateral used to secure the loan. And as it has come to our attention that you have falsified the value of your assets, you are clearly in default of the contract."

Charles abruptly snatched the court ordered document from the table's surface. Reading the document, he paled as the full scope of the document took hold. Turning his attention to Erik, he yelled into the calm features of his former employee. "You can't do this!"

Erik smiled at Charles comment. "Oh, but I can, Mr. Daae. But more to the point, I have," he said with a clear intent to his tone.

"I knew you were nothing but bad news! I took you and your mother in, put a roof over your head and this is how you repay me?" Charles spat in Erik's direction.

Erik pinned Charles with a cold stare. "If you take nothing else away from this day, Mr. Daae, at least do me the honor of hearing this. My mother earned more than the meager wage you paid her; she earned more than the shabby accommodations you termed as a roof over her head. She earned your respect. A respect that to this very day has never been compensated," he said in a quiet steely voice that caused Charles to recoil slightly.

"Is that what this is all about, some misguided notion that you have regarding your mother?" Charles snapped in anger.

Erik fought the urge to smash his fist into the face of his former boss. Without taking his menacing gaze from Charles, he prompted Nadir to continue with the task at hand. "Nadir, if you would please continue."

Christine's body felt as though it were about to fracture into a thousand pieces as she watched the fierce battle between her father and Erik.

Taking out a second document Nadir pushed it towards Charles. "This document is to serve as notice that your employment with Smythe Holdings has been terminated, effective immediately."

Christine's shocked gasp filled the room. Glancing to her left, she saw disbelief written plainly across her father's face.

"What game are you playing at now, Dessler? You think you can oust me from my own company?" Charles shouted as he grabbed up the paper and ripped it in two.

"Oh, Mr. Daae, I assure you that this is no game. As I have acquired sixty-five percent ownership of Smythe, I have the authority to employee who I wish." Sitting forward in his leather chair, Erik looked directly into Charles' anger filled eyes. "And let me assure you I have no desire to employ you."

"You fucking bastard! I'll kill you for this!" Charles erupted in rage as he made a lunge for Erik.

Christine jumped to her feet and grabbed franticly at her father's arm as he threaded his hands around Erik's neck. "Father, no!" she cried as she tried to pull her father back.

"Let me go, Christine!" Charles yelled as he drew up his hand and succinctly dealt her a backhanded blow across her cheek that caused her to fall to her knees. In the next instant, she heard a savage roar as Erik jumped to his feet and hauled Charles up against the wall.

Nadir rushed to her side and steadied her trembling form. She could feel the tension in him as he gently assisted her to her feet. Christine found that she could not tear her eyes from Erik, for she had never seen him with such a furious look upon his face. The panic that filled her was tangible as she pleaded for her father's life. "Erik, please…let him go!" she cried in a terrified voice.

Erik was breathing hard with the all-encompassing rage that was filling him. Hearing Christine's plea, he slowly lowered Charles to the floor. "If you dare to ever lay a hand to her again, I will kill you," he said with an undeniable truth.

Nadir pushed her gently into her chair, his hand lifting her chin to the right so that he could inspect the damage her father's hand had wrought. Probing gently with his fingers upon her cheek he frowned as he witnessed her wince. "You need to have an x-ray, Ms. Daae," he said in an efficient manner.

"I'm …I'm fine," she said in a faltering voice.

Erik crossed the room to kneel slowly at her feet. Looking up into her pain-filled eyes, he cursed himself for his role in her injury. Lifting a trembling hand, he tenderly caressed the red welt that was marring her pale cheek.

Christine's eyes filled with tears as she stared into the eyes that she had come to love all of those long years ago…her Erik, her one and only love. "Erik," she called softly.

Erik felt the long suppressed emotions begin to fill him at her nearness. God, how he had loved her, for she had once represented all that was beautiful in life. What a life they could have shared. Closing his eyes tightly against the beseeching look on her beautiful face, he hardened his heart and reaffirmed his vow to have his long awaited vengeance. Rising gracefully to his feet, he turned his attention back to Nadir. "Arrange for her to see a doctor as soon as we are through here," he instructed in a stilted tone.

Christine watched with her heart breaking as he returned to his position at the head of the table. Glancing to her left, she saw that her father held his head in his hands, clearly overcome with the intense events of the day. "Father," she called to him softly.

Charles hearing her voice looked up sharply. "Christine, I never meant…" his voice broke on the guilt that was filling him at the vision of his daughter's battered face.

Reaching out her hand, she gently laid it upon his arm. "I know," she responded in a soft voice.

Erik felt a renewed rage at the sight of her kindness to her bulling father. Looking up into the concerned expression of his Vice President, he ordered the conclusion to his carefully planed out agenda. "Finish it, Nadir."

Nadir drew in a sharp breath at the tone of his boss's voice. Looking at the hardened features of Erik's face, he knew that this was taking more of an emotional toll on his friend then expected. "Erik," he called in a tone that intoned lenience.

Erik pinned Nadir with his fierce eyes. "Finish it!" he said forcefully.

Sighing resignedly, Nadir once again reached into his folder. "Mr. Daae, as of this moment, your home, penthouse and all personal assets have become the sole possession of VIM Enterprises," he said in a flat tone. "You are hereby notified that all of your personal and business assets have been frozen as collateral for the outstanding loan that you owe to Smythe Holdings. You and your family are hereby given notice that you must vacate all property within forty-eight hours. Your are also hereby given notice that all possessions held within the households has become the property of VIM Enterprises and Smythe Holdings, and in being such, are to remain on the premises upon your vacation of said property."

Charles remained frozen in place as Nadir informed him of his ruin.

Christine drew in a sharp breath at the unflinching hate reflected in Erik's eyes as he stared down the long table at her. "Why? Oh God, Erik, please tell me why?" she asked simply as she allowed the total devastation wash over her.

Erik felt himself stiffen at her softly worded question. "Why you dare to ask me!" he snarled in her direction.

Christine recoiled in fear at his sharp response.

Laughing a humorless laugh, he rose to approach her seated form. "Why, you ask," he said with distain dripping from every word. "I wish I could tell you it was for the simple reason as it was a good investment. But that would be a lie, as this has cost me more than I can ever recoup. No, this is not at all for business."

Christine frowned up at his rigid features. "Then why? Why did you so coldly set out to destroy us?"

"Vengeance!" he snapped with a hard crack of his voice. "For all of your cold and heartless lies, for your total and callus betrayal of what we once were. For that, Christine, that is why you now must pay."

Shaking her head in confusion, she tried to find some reasoning behind his cold words. "I don't understand. What betrayal? What lies?" she cried in a quiet voice.

Erik grasped the arms of her chair and swung her around to face him directly. "WHAT BETRAYAL! Damn you and your impertinence. Did you really think that I would never find out?"

Christine felt the blood drain from her face at the extent of Erik's hate for her. "I truly don't know what you're talking about," she said tearfully up into his cold face.

"My God, I believe that you have truly pushed it from you mind." Giving her a short laugh, he pushed her chair away from him as though he found her nearness utterly repugnant. "Maybe that is how you were able to live with yourself all of these years," he said in a tone bereft of any feeling. Walking towards the conference room door, he knew that he had better put some distance between them before he said something to give away the unwelcome emotion that he was feeling for her. Pausing at the door, he turned to once again pierce her with his green gaze. "Tell me one thing, Christine. Did you once ever think of me as I served my time in prison at the direct result of your lies?"

Christine's eyes widened in shock at the implication of Erik's words. "Erik, please, I don't know what you are talking about," she pleaded.

Erik's face closed up on her denial. "Never mind, Christine, it is clear that you did not once think of me as I rotted away for four years," he said in a dead tone that pulled directly at her breaking heart. "Nadir, make sure she gets to the doctor." With that, he opened the door and left the room, failing to see the haunted look of pain on Christine's face.

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**Let me know what you think in the reviews.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**A/N Thanks for he reviews, I know that I said I would do the flashback in this chapter but this just started to come out so I went with it. You will get a little peak of what has happened in this chapter. Please let me know how you like it. Thanks!**

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Adora (Everyone send happy thoughts to Adora, she is having a hard time of it this week.)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 3**

Christine winced in pain as the young resident probed her bruised cheek. "Did you lose consciousness at any time, Ms. Daae?" he asked as he shown a bright light into her eyes.

"No, I was just a little dizzy for a moment," she responded in a flat tone.

"Follow my finger," he instructed as he drew his forefinger in front of her face. "Good. I'm going to order a facial series of x-rays. I don't think anything is broken, but I would just like to be safe."

Christine watched as he made several notes onto the pink sheet that the young nurse had handed to him. "If you don't think that anything is broken, then I would just like to go home. My mother is quite ill, and I need to see to her," she said tiredly as she reached for her purse.

Dr. Wilmore frowned at his patient's comment. "I recommend that you have these x-rays, Ms. Daae. While I don't think that you have any fractures, I can't be sure without the x-rays."

"Thank you, doctor. But like you, I believe that I have nothing but a bruise," she said with a sad smile. "If you would please show me where I can settle my bill, I will be on my way."

"Sherry, please show Ms. Daae to checkout," he instructed in a resigned sigh. "Ms. Daae, I am writing you a prescription for a pain reliever. Make sure you take one before you go to bed tonight." Ripping off the top square of paper, he handed it to her with a concerned look. "Here is some instruction for signs of a possible concussion. Do you have someone to stay with this evening? You will need someone to wake you up every two hours."

"I can stay with my parents," she said in way of placating the young resident.

"If you experience blurry vision, confusion or loss of consciousness I want you to immediately call 911. I am signing you out against doctor's advice, Ms. Daae," he said with a disapproving tone.

"Thank you, doctor," she said feeling somewhat foolish. Following the nurse out to the busy checkout station, she stiffened as she saw Erik's employee Mr. Kahn patiently waiting for her.

Straightening his tall frame, Nadir looked into her pain-filled eyes and felt an uneasy guilt settle all around him. "Ms. Daae, I have instructions to see you home," he said with a slight bow to his head.

Christine shook her head in astonishment at the audacity of the man before her. "Mr. Kahn, you can take your instruction and shove them up your ass," she said with a sweet smile gracing her battered face.

Nadir's eyebrows rose in surprise at the biting comment he had just received from the elegant woman. "Forgive me, Ms. Daae, but Mr. Dessler has assigned me with the duty to see you safely home."

Allowing herself a short laugh, she turned her back on the well-dressed man. Handing the young woman her pink paper, she reached for her credit card.

"Ms. Daae, your bill has already been settled," the young clerk said with a smile.

"There must be a mistake. Would you please check again?" She waited patiently for the young woman to hit a series of key on her keyboard.

"No, Ms. Daae, your bill has been paid by VIM Enterprises," the clerk informed her.

Squaring her shoulders, Christine turned to face the dark man who was waiting for her. 'So I suppose that this is your doing as well?"

"Yes, as your injury occurred on our premises, we felt it was only proper that we settle the bill," Nadir said with a clear voice.

Turning her attention back to the clerk, she handed her the credit card. "I'm sorry, but there seems to have been a mistake. If you would be so kind as to transfer the charges onto this card, and process a refund for VIM Enterprises."

"Ms. Daae, I'm afraid I must insist on paying for your treatment," Nadir said firmly.

Pinning him with a cold stare, Christine blasted him with all of the pent up anger of the last two hours. "You must insist?" she repeated his words with a wealth of distain in her tone. "Well, let me tell you what I must insist, Mr. Kahn," she said as she raised her voice not at all caring about the curious looks they were receiving in the clinic's busy waiting room. "I must insist that you leave me the hell alone. Haven't you done enough for one day? You have taken my home, my father's business, all of our money and possessions. What more could you possibly want?" she cried with her voice breaking.

Nadir watched her with a bewildered look on his handsome face. God, she was good, he thought to himself. Had he not known the true extent of her savage betrayal to his best friend, he could have honestly felt sorry for her. But he did know, and that knowledge hardened his resolve to her heart-wrenching pleas. Allowing himself a look of cold disgust, he responded to her emotionally charged question. "You asked what I want, Ms. Daae? I'll tell you so there will be no mistake in who is the victim in this sordid tale. I want you to pay for what you did to Erik. I want you to suffer the same unbearable fate that he did!" he spat at her with little care to the disapproving glares he was receiving.

"Oh God, revenge!" she cried as she clenched her hands into tight fists, relishing the physical pain of her nails biting viciously into her palm. "For what? What horrible, unforgivable sin have I committed to cause such ruthless revenge?"

Grabbing her by her upper arms, he shook her with suppressed rage. "What have you done? You dare ask that of me," he said menacingly into her face.

"YES!" she all but screamed. "What is it that has brought on this merciless vengeance?"

Shoving her away from him as though he couldn't bare her nearness any longer, he gave her a look of utter contempt. "I'll tell you what you have done, Ms. Daae," he spat her name as though the very taste of it upon his tongue had proven bitter. "Through your unconscionable lies, you sent Erik to prison for four long years. Four years of hell where his only thought was of you."

Christine fell back against the counter as she digested the dark man's words. "Prison?" she questioned shakily. "But why, what for?" she asked with confusion written clearly across her features.

Frowning, Nadir watched as she appeared to pale right before his very eyes. "Rape, Ms Daae, your rape. The rape that you testified to in your deposition that sealed Erik's fate fifteen years ago."

At his last words, Christine felt a strange roaring in her ears as the world started to darken all around her. Her last conscious thought was of the strange dark man, who was rushing towards her with his arms held open.

Nadir caught her before she fainted dead away. "I need a doctor!" he yelled to the young woman behind the counter.

Doctor Wilmore, hearing the commotion, came rushing from his office. Bring her in here," he instructed Nadir. "What happened?" he demanded Nadir in a sharp tone.

"We were arguing and she fainted," he said in a worried voice.

Dr. Wilmore nodded, "Sherry, I want her admitted. Also, I want a CT scan, and a facial series of x-rays. I think she may have a concussion. Who is the neurologist on call?"

"Dr. Morgan," Sherry related as she wrote out the doctor's orders.

"Ok, let's get the CT and x-rays back and then we can call him in for a consultation if we need to." With his small pen light, he shined it directly into Christine's eyes as he held up each lid in turn. "Her pupils are non-responsive," he sighed in a disparaging tone. "Go ahead and call in Morgan, I think that she may have some swelling." Turning to face Nadir, he directed his next question to the worried looking man. "Were you there when she was struck?"

Not taking his eyes off Christine's pale features, he answered the doctor in a haunted tone. "Yes, I was there when her father hit her."

"Did she hit her head on anything, a table, a chair, the floor?" he asked as he continued his examination of his patient.

"No, I don't think so," Nadir responded in a quietly.

"Ok, if you will please wait outside." The doctor dismissed him with a nod of his head.

Nadir pushed open the door, feeling as though he were personally responsible for Christine's injury. Closing his eyes, he pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial to connect him with Erik.

"Dessler," Erik's cold voice came over the line.

"Erik, Christine has been admitted to the hospital," he said tentatively.

Erik felt his heart lurch at the news his friend had just imparted. "I'm on my way," he said in a steely voice as he disconnected the call. As he rose from his chair, he paused to lean heavily against his desk as though his legs were threatening to buckle beneath him. Swallowing hard, he tried to gain control over his fear…the all-consuming fear that was threatening to destroy him as he thought of his Christine in danger. Squaring his shoulders, he gathered his strength to face what was to come. If anything should happen to her, he knew with a certainty that went beyond mere truth that he would spend the rest of his miserable life in an unbearable state of limbo, neither able to love or hate. Only existing…on an unenviable plane all alone, always alone.

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Christine felt as though she were floating on a comfortable cloud. Frowning, she heard a strange whirling sound around her as she lay motionless on a cold hard surface. Opening one eye, she found that she was in an enclosed tight space. Her heart began to race as she felt the familiar panic began to set in. "No…no…no," she began to whimper in an animalistic cry as her fear of small enclosed spaces began to assert itself. Her body began to shake as she let the uncontrollable panic overtake her. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, she closed her eyes tightly to block out the sight of the small enclosure.

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Erik was listening intently as the doctor explained the extent to Christine's head injury.

"There is a small bleed here," Dr. Morgan said as he pointed to the small-blackened shadow on the screen. "We will treat it with drug therapy. We should see a decrease in the swelling as soon as tomorrow. I'll order another CT for tomorrow so we can make sure that she is responding appropriately."

Erik nodded his agreement as he looked at the picture of Christine's injured brain.

"Jesus, her heart rate is off the charts," the young technician said as he jumped to his feet to race towards the door.

Erik looked up sharply to view Christine's shaking form as she was pulled from within the state of the art CT machine. Ignoring the doctor's call, he ran towards the open door. As he reached her side, he saw the intense look of fear within her eyes as she rocked herself back and forth. "Christine," he called to her in a soft gentle voice. When she did not respond, he reached out and took her tenderly into his arms. "Christine…shh, I'm here," he soothed her with his gentle words.

As a strong set of arms encircled her protectively, Christine felt the strangest sense of belonging. Leaning her head against the strong chest, she heard a strong steady heartbeat that seemed to call to her.

Erik closed his eyes and savored the overpowering feeling of her within his arms. Kissing her temple lightly, he ran his hands in a caressing motion down her hospital clad back. Knowing that he was acting inappropriately, he leaned back to view her tear stained face. "Christine," he called to her in a more controlled tone.

Christine knew that she surly must have been dreaming as she could have sworn that it was Erik's voice that she heard calling to her. But Erik could not possibly be calling her for he hated her with every fiber of his being. "Erik," she whispered in an unconscious voice of longing.

Erik stiffened as he heard his name on her beautiful lips. He felt as though his heart would beat out of his chest if he didn't put some distance between them. Motioning for the awaiting technician, he released his hold on her as the technician and the doctor helped her into a gurney. Standing back against the far wall, he watched with a look of fierce longing on his handsome face, never once taking his eyes from her as she was wheeled out of the room.

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**A/N Next chapter will be a flashback which will explain how Erik and Christine have reached this dismal point. I think that we will have a Meg in this story to help add some happiness to this dark tale. Next update should be in a few days as we have a three-day weekend so I can spend a little more time on the two stories I have in process. Let me know what you think in the reviews.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – MJMOD (Vanquisher of all grammar mistakes!)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 4**

Christine awoke to an unrelenting pounding within her head. Groaning she cautiously opened her eyes to look about the darkly lit hospital room. _What happened_, she thought to herself as she leveled up into a seated position. Seeing that she had a multitude of tubes and wires attached to her, she wondered what could have possibly occurred to bring her to this state. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she used the bed rail to push herself to her feet. She felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness enveloped her as she leaned heavily against the bed. Taking a deep breath, she regained her balance and began to disengage herself from the tubes and wires that were holding her prisoner. Once she had freed herself, she crossed to the small closet to retrieve her clothes.

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A piercing alarm rent through the silence of the forth floor nurses station, causing immediate action from the three on duty nurses. "Room 409, head trauma." Registered Nurse Nancy Rodriguez called out to her fellow nurses as she grabbed the chart and rushed towards the room. Pushing open the door Nancy saw that her patient had set off the alarms. Walking calmly over the machines, she pushed several buttons to silence the shrilling alarms. Activating the nurse call button, she advised her fellow nurses that it was a false alarm. Looking into the opened empty closet, Nancy knew that her patient was more than likely trying to make an escape. Sighing resignedly, she looked at the chart to learn the name of her misbehaving patient. "Ms. Daae, are you all right?" she called through the closed bathroom door.

"Yes, I will be out in a minute." Christine answered with a wince, as the mere utterance of the words caused her head to throb in response. Buttoning up her black silk blouse, she looked at her pale reflection in the small mirror, noting the large purple hued bruise that stood out on her cheek. Turning on the tap, she leaned down to splash cold soothing water upon her face. As she gently patted the moisture from her face, she drew in a sharp breath as the words that Mr. Khan had uttered before she lost all conscious memory asserted themselves into her mind in a most vicious manner. "Rape," she whispered in a stunned tone. Somehow, Erik truly believed that she had accused him of the vilest of crimes. '_Rape, Ms Daae, your rape. The rape that you testified to in your deposition that sealed Erik's fate fifteen years ago.' _Mr. Khan's statement seemed too reverberated off her brain as she stood in stunned silence.

Knocking on the door, Nancy called once again to her patient. "Ms. Daae, I need you to open this door." She said with an authoritative tone.

Pulled from her tortured thoughts, Christine turned and unlocked the bathroom door. Opening the door, she saw that she was receiving the most disapproving of looks from a traditionally white starched uniformed nurse.

Nancy glared at the fully dressed patient. "And where do you think you're going Ms. Daae?" She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm checking myself out." Christine answered as she brushed past the stern nurse with little care of the consequences.

"It is 3:12 in the morning Ms. Daae, and furthermore, you are scheduled to have a second CT scan in the morning. I can't allow you to leave until the doctors have released you from their care." Nancy said with her arms crossed in front of her.

"I'm leaving now. And not you or any doctor can force me to stay one minute longer." Christine responded with a slightly raised voice. _Damn it!_ She thought to herself, _have I absolutely no control over anything anymore?_

"I'm calling Mr. Dessler," Nancy said under her breath as she walked towards the phone.

Alarmed, Christine called out sharply to the older woman. "No! I have confidentiality rights. You are not to call anyone or inform anyone about my medical condition! Is that clear?" she asked in an uncharacteristically cold voice.

Nancy stilled in her tracks, as she knew the limitations of the law. Turning to once again face her disagreeable patient, she saw that blood was dripping from the IV site on Christine's left arm. "Your arm is bleeding." She informed the young woman as she opened a drawer to retrieve a large square of gauze. "Keep pressure on the site." She ordered as she walked towards the doorway. "I will need you to sign some paper work before you can leave Ms. Daae."

"Fine, but hurry." Christine said as she crossed to take a seat on the bed.

Nancy left the room and motioned to one of her colleagues. "Call Dr. Morgan and tell him that his patient is attempting to leave AMA. I will try to stall her until he gets here." Nancy said as she pulled a thick sheet of papers from a file cabinet.

Entering Christine's room twelve minutes later with the thick stack of papers and a small tray. 'I want to see to the IV site on your arm Ms. Daae. And then you can begin filling out the checkout paperwork." She said as she pulled on a pair of latex gloves. Taking Christine's arm, she gently cleaned the needle site, where the IV had been housed. "You really need to stay until the doctor clears you Ms. Daae," she advised in a more cajoling tone.

"I need to see my father." Christine replied softly. _He alone has the answers I need_, she thought to herself as the nurse bandaged her forearm.

"I'm sure that he will be there in the morning Ms. Daae, it is not wise for you to leave the hospital at this time." Nancy said with a concerned tone.

Smiling Christine knew that the nurse was only doing her job. "I appreciate all that you and the doctor's have done for me. But I really need to see my father, and it can't wait until morning."

"Will you please at least let my call Mr. Dessler? He seemed so concerned for you this afternoon." Nancy pleaded.

Christine felt her heart jump at the mention of Erik's concern. "No, apparently I have caused more than enough trouble for Mr. Dessler. I think it best if I just leave him alone." She said in a sad voice that caused Nancy to glance up sharply in alarm.

"I believe that you will only cause him more distress when he learns of your departure against medical advice." Nancy stated with a knowing look.

"I think you said that I needed to sign some papers?" Christine said abruptly as she hardened herself to any further pleas.

Signing deeply, Nancy handed the thick stack to her patient. "Yes, if you would please fill these out."

Christine gave the offending stack of papers a quick glance and smiled at the inventiveness of her nurse. "These are papers that I have already filled out upon my arrival. So would you please direct me to the form that is required for checkout purposes only?"

Shaking her head disapprovingly, Nancy directed Christine to the last three pages on the bottom of the stack. "Just sign here Ms. Daae."

Christine signed her name in two places and handed them back to her nurse. "Thank you for your assistance. I will just be on my way."

"Please Ms. Daae, if you would just wait for twenty more minutes." Nancy beseeched as she followed Christine out into the hall.

Christine ignored the nurse as she headed towards the elevator.

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Erik sat at his mahogany hand-carved desk as he worked on his third scotch that night. God she still was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon. The many pictures he had of her over the years did little to attest to the sheer radiance of her. How could something so beautiful hold the ugliest of souls? How could she have so callously turned her back on the feelings that she had vowed to be everlasting so long ago. Closing his eyes, he pictured her as she was then, so beautiful, so young, and so innocent.

_Fifteen years earlier_

Nineteen-year-old Erik Dessler brushed the coat of the black stallion that his boss had purchased for his daughter's graduation present. He was somewhat concerned that a young girl wouldn't be able to control such a horse as this. But when he had voiced his opinion to Mr. Daae, he was informed with little tact that he was hired to muck out the stables, and not to voice his unwelcome opinions about what his daughter could or could not handle. Shaking his head, Erik looked around to ensure that he was alone as he lifted his tan leather mask to wipe the sweat from his brow. Looking at the large clock on the wall, he knew that Mr. Daae would be arriving in ten minutes to surprise his daughter with her gift. Replacing his mask, he reached for the custom leather saddle that Mr. Desmond had ordered especially for his most beloved daughter. Once he had the saddle in place, Erik opened the stall to lead the house out in to the open paddock.

Christine, led by her father, could see nothing behind the blindfold her father insisted she wear. "Where are you taking me?" she asked as she stumbled over her feet only to be caught protectively by her father's strong arms.

Charles laughed at the clumsiness of his daughter. "Just a little bit further. Ah here we are." He said as he saw Erik with the magnificent stallion within the white fenced paddock. Carefully placing Christine in front of him, he pulled off the blindfold to reveal his gift.

Christine drew in an excited breath as she gazed on the most beautiful animal she had ever seen. Turning to face her father, she threw her arms around his neck and proceeded to squeal in delight. "Oh, Father! Thank you, he is so beautiful!"

Happy to see the joy on his Christine's face, he motioned for Erik to bring the horse closer to the fence line. "Christine, this is Erik, he has been working for us for a few months now."

Christine looked up into the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. She felt so strange, as she looked up into his masked face. She felt as though this was one of the most important days of her life. Holding out her hand, she smiled up at Erik. "Hi Erik," she said somewhat shyly.

Erik tried to bank down the unwelcome feelings that were filling him as he gazed upon the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. "Ms. Daae," he said as he took her small hand in his.

Christine felt a jolt of electricity go through her as she held the hand of the strange young man. "Call me Christine," she said absently as she stared into his mesmerizing eyes.

Erik held on to her soft hand a little longer than necessary as if he couldn't bear to part with her touch. "Christine," he said her name with a reverence that had her catching her breath at the beauty of his voice.

Charles, oblivious to the undercurrents, looked at his watch and saw that he was late for a meeting. "Christine," he called to her.

Pulling her hand from Erik's she turned her attention back to her father. "Yes, Father?"

"I need to get back to work. Erik here will get you anything you need." He said as he turned and walked away.

Erik felt his heart beating rapidly as she turned her attention back to him. "Would you like to ride him?" He asked in a careful voice.

"Yes!" she said excitedly as she climbed over the fence.

Erik was more that a little worried at the strength of the animal. "Have you ever ridden a stallion Christine?" he asked as he walked with her towards the stallion.

"No, but I have ridden quite a few horses in the past." She said with a little bit of irritation.

Nodding his head, he grabbed the reins of the powerful animal. Christine placed her foot in the stirrup and gracefully pulled her self up into the saddle. Handing her the reins, Erik backed away to watch her begin to trot the horse around the fenced paddock. His eyes took on a look of admiration as he noted her experienced handling of the animal. Walking over towards the fence, he leaped up to straddle the top rail, as he watched the beautiful girl with her newest toy.

Christine was self-conscious as she led her horse around the fenced enclosure. She knew that he was watching her, and for some unknown reason, she wanted his eyes upon her. What was it about him that caused such a strange reaction within her, she asked herself, as she continued to look at him beneath her lashes. Why did he wear the mask, she wondered.

Patting the side of her new horse, she slowed him as she approached Erik. "Erik, can you help me down?" she asked in a soft voice that played directly at his male ego.

Erik leaped down to walk lazily towards her. Raising his strong arms, he grasped her gently around her small waist. Christine placed her hands upon his shoulders and slid slowly towards the ground as she looked into his intense gaze. Never once breaking the contact of her clear blue eyes, he held onto her as though he had absolutely no control over his actions.

Christine felt a welcoming warmth begin to wash over her at the feel of his body so close to hers. "Erik," she whispered in surprised awe.

He felt his heart begin to race at the sound of his name upon her sweet lips. Reaching up one of his callous hands, he gently traced the curve of her cheek.

Christine smiled up at him as she rose up on her toes to brush her lips across his in a soft lingering kiss.

Erik drew in a sharp breath at her unexpected kiss. Not used to being kissed by any girl, let alone a beautiful one, he quickly put some distance between them as he grabbed up the reins of the horse. "I uh…I need to get him back to his stall." He said in an unsteady tone as he led the animal towards the gate.

Christine smiled as she stared after the boy who had just unknowingly stole her heart. "Same time tomorrow?" she called questioningly after his retreating form.

Erik nearly fell over his feet at her question. Turning to face her, he was shocked to see the playful smile dancing on her soft pink lips. "Uh…ok, sure. Same time." He said with an abruptness that was as telling as his nervousness. He cursed himself for his awkwardness.

Christine remained where she stood, long after he had disappeared from her view. "Wow!" She said to herself as she brought her fingers up to touch her lips. The very lips that had just kissed the man who she knew was destined to be future husband.


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – MJMOD (She's Beta-rific!)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 5**

"Thank you," Christine said as she paid the cab driver in front of her parents' mansion. Walking quickly up the stone steps she took out her key to let herself in, flipping the switch to her left. The massive foyer was bathed in a bright yellow light from the hand cut chandelier her mother had had custom made, so many years ago. Putting her hand to her eyes, she winced at the sharp pain that shot through her head at the sudden change of lighting. "Damn," she cursed as she blinked back the tears of pain that sprang to her eyes. Taking a deep breath to try to alleviate the pain as she started off in the direction of her father's study. Opening the door, she crossed to the large antique desk to turn on the antique Tiffany lamp. As she dumped her purse into her father's chair, she planned her search for the secrets she knew he had well hidden within this room. Making a beeline in the direction of his safe; she quickly accessed the wooden panel. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall the combination that her father had taught her so long ago. With a frown of concentration on her face, she deftly turned the dial and smiled slightly as she opened the large safe. Seeing a multitude of files, she began to rifle through them in search of anything that would help explain the immense hatred that Erik held for her and her family. Leaving the large stacks of bundled money untouched, she grabbed up several large files and took a seat in her father's chair. Opening the first file, she began to review her father's deepest secrets.

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"Damn it!" Erik cursed into the phone. "How the hell do you let someone with a concussion walk out of your hospital in the middle of the night?" he demanded of the nervous doctor on the other end of the line.

"She signed herself out Mr. Dessler, against medical advice. In fact, she instructed my staff that she wanted her condition to be kept strictly confidential." Dr. Morgan wiped the sweat from his brow as he tried to calm the hospital's most generous benefactor. "I am taking a serious risk with my medical license even discussing her departure with you."

Erik wanted to reach through the line and choke the life out of the physician that he had trusted with Christine's care. "Did you at least find out where she was going?" Erik asked through clenched teeth.

"Um, the nurse said that she was going to stay at her parents." Dr. Morgan supplied nervously.

"Fucking hell!" Erik cursed more to himself than to the apprehensive physician. Hanging up the phone on his desk without any form of courtesy, he reached for his cell phone as he made his way towards the garage. Pushing the speed dial to connect him with Nadir, he activated the automatic garage opener as he rounded his silver Mercedes in favor for his black Ferrari.

"Erik?" Nadir questioned in a sleepy tone.

"Christine has left the hospital. She is on her way to that bastard who put her there in the first place." Erik informed his friend as he started up the powerful engine.

Nadir sighed resignedly as he knew that Erik would not rest until he had Christine safely back under a physician's care. "What do you need?" He asked as he turned on the bedside lamp.

"I'm on my way out to the Daae estate right now. Have that worthless piece of shit Dr. Morgan meet me there." Erik demanded as he pushed the gas petal to the floor, gaining speed on the deserted street.

"All right, what if she refuses treatment?" Nadir asked reasonably.

Erik frowned at his friend's probable prediction. "Get Judge Roberts to sign an order delegating Christine's medical decisions to me."

Nadir shook his head at the unreasonable request. "Erik, I don't think that Judge Roberts will sign such an order without having the medical facts available to him." Nadir offered in a calm tone.

"I don't care what the hell you have to do to get it done Nadir! Just get it the hell done!" Erik yelled into the phone as he turned the expensive car onto the deserted highway.

"I'll have it done by the time you reach the estate." Nadir said in a quiet voice.

Erik sighed as he tried to reign in his anger. "Fine." Erik said as he disconnected the call. Looking out at the morning-darkened sky he tried to bank down the overwhelming fear that was coursing through him. Fear for Christine. Fear for his most hated adversary. Fear for the woman whom he would always love.

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Christine sat in a stony silence as she held a copy of the paper she had unknowingly signed so many years ago. The very paper that had caused the catastrophic events that had devastated so many lives. "Oh Erik, I'm so sorry," she cried softly as her heart clutched in pain at the injustice of it all. He alone had to pay the unbearable price of loving her. He alone had to suffer the unforgivable betrayal that was so cruelly inflicted upon him. And why, her soul cried out, why had her father set out to destroy the only man she would ever love? Why? Her heart ached for answers. Answers that she would soon have. Picking up the phone, she dialed the intercom extension to her father's bedroom. 

Charles was awoken from the insistent buzzing of the intercom. Looking at his watch he squinted to make out that it was only 5:30 in the morning. Picking up the house phone, he growled his irritation into the line. "Who is this?' he demanded in a harsh tone.

Christine, who would have once cringed at her father's tone, only stiffened her back at the angry question. "It is Christine. And you have exactly ten minutes to get downstairs." She said as she slammed down the phone.

Charles felt a great sense of unease fill him at the uncharacteristic tone of his daughter's voice. Getting up he grabbed his robe and headed towards the door.

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Erik answered his cell after only one ring. "Nadir" he greeted in an abrupt voice.

"Dr. Morgan should arrive only about twenty minutes behind you. Judge Roberts signed the order and I have already faxed a copy over to Dr. Morgan." Nadir informed his boss of his accomplishments of the last hour.

"Good, thank you Nadir." Erik said as he took the turn leading to the private drive of the Daae estate.

"Erik," Nadir began in a pleading voice. "Perhaps you should give Christine some space. She had been through quite a lot in the last twenty-four hour."

Erik sighed at the truth of his friend's words. "I can't" he responded in a hopeless tone that spoke of his uncontrollable feelings for Christine.

Nadir smiled sadly for his friend. "All right Erik. But please just try to remember that this is what you have been working day and night for over the last fifteen years."

Not knowing how to respond to Nadir's comment, Erik merely said goodbye.

Nadir pushed the button to end the call. "I fear for you my friend." He said to himself as he gave voice to the feelings of impending disaster he was sure was to befall his friend.

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Charles entered his study with eyes full of anger at his daughter's early morning summons. "What in hell are you doing Christine?" he demanded in a loud voice.

Christine smiled mockingly at the tone of her lying father. "What am I doing Father?" She said as she rose from behind his desk, the telling paper within her small hand. "I think the better question is what have you been doing?"

Charles felt his face flush with rage as he endured the accusatory stare from his daughter's eyes. "I don't have time for your games Christine! In case you don't remember, Dessler has just stolen everything I have ever worked for. Because of you! If you hadn't gotten mixed up with that good for nothing boy, none of this would have ever happened." Charles said as he walked over to his desk.

Outrage filled Christine as she stood looking at her deceitful parent. "Because of me? Is that what you said Father?" She asked in a carefully controlled tone.

"Yes, because of you!" He spat at her. "Because of you and your unthinkable attraction to that freak of nature, you have ruined us!"

"You bastard!" Christine screamed at him. "You fucking bastard!" She crossed the room to stand directly in front of his antique desk. Throwing the telling document in his lying face, she leaned in to look into her father's shocked face. "You dare to blame me, when it was your lies that sent Erik to prison! Your indefensible actions that stole four years of his life." She felt a sharp pain shoot through her head as she leaned heavily upon the desk. Ignoring the pain, she continued with her tirade. "How could you? How could you so heartlessly set out to destroy him? Why Father, oh God! Tell me why!" She said as she closed her eyes to hold in the tears.

Charles fell dejectedly into his leather chair. "Christine," his voice shook as he tried to find an explanation for his actions of so long ago. Inhaling a deep breath, he resolved himself to the truth. "You can't imagine what it is like to be a parent, Christine." He said calmly.

Christine took a seat in the chair directly across from her father. "Please don't even think you can explain your actions by claiming parental protection." Christine said in a cold voice that shot right through Charles' soul.

"Christine, he wasn't good enough for you! He was not one of us!" Charles said in an affronted voice.

"Not good enough?' Christine said as she closed her eyes against the sight of this man who she was ashamed to call her father. "Oh God, Father, don't you realize what you have done? You have played God with our lives!" She said with her voice breaking with emotion. "And why, because in your warped mind, you thought that Erik was beneath me." Standing to cross to the window, she allowed the tears of utter defeat fall unheedingly down her cheeks. Taking a shuddering breath, she spoke once more to her unfeeling father. "Let me tell you one last thing father, and then I swear that I will never again speak to you." She said in a tone that sent a finality of truth through Charles' cold heart. "It was I who was not good enough for him. Erik was more than I could ever deserve. He was the one and only man I could ever love. And you took it all away, and what for?" Christine said in a dejected tone. Turning she looked into her father's eyes for the last time. "For your own selfish reasons. You destroyed a man, just because you couldn't bear the thought that your daughter could ever love anyone other than someone of your imposing standards." Christine reached for her purse as made her way towards the door. "I'm glad Erik has had some revenge on you. I only wish Mother didn't have to suffer as well."

Charles watched as his daughter opened the door. "Christine!" he called out in a loud voice. "Who do you think wanted Dessler out of your life?" Settling himself back into his chair, he regarded his daughter through half-closed lids. "It was your mother who had discovered your love for Dessler. It was she who wanted him out of your life." Seeing the look of utter disbelief on Christine's face, he continued with his explanation. "Oh yes Christine, before you condemn me to Hell, you need to look at your mother's actions as well."

"No," Christine cried as she leaned against the door. It was her mother who had held her as she cried her broken heart out. It was her mother who had taken her to Europe to help her get over her breakup with Erik.

"Yes, Christine." Charles said in a voice that was clearly telling the truth. "Your mother was the one who saw you in bed with Erik. It was she who came up with the idea of using the threat of reporting him for statutory rape to make you break up with him."

Closing her eyes tightly, she thought back to the time when her mother had insisted that she must leave Erik in order for her father to spare him. "But I did as you asked. Why did you need to send him to prison?"

Smiling in an uncaring way, Charles sighed as though he was bored with their conversation. "Because he wouldn't give up trying to find you. I have to give that young man some credit. No matter where your mother took you he was always one step behind." Charles informed her.

"Erik came after me?" Christine asked in a soft voice full of the love that still resided within her heart.

"Yes, he was becoming quite a nuisance. We finally had to deal with him, and what better way than to send him some place where he could never get to you. So I brought you some documents to sign regarding your trust fund, and I just happened to slide in the deposition that I had my lawyer draw up."

"Oh my God," Christine whispered as she remembered the time her father had come to her college dorm, to have her sign several documents. "I didn't read them." She said more to herself than to her gloating father.

"No, you were too trusting Christine. You still are." He said as he looked into her pain-filled eyes.

"I will never forgive you for this." Christine said in a broken voice as she walked through the doorway only to be met with an anxious Elena.

"Ms. Christine, there is a man here to see you." She said in a voice that held a thick Spanish accent.

"Who is it Elena?" Christine asked with a sigh.

"Mr. Dessler. He say it is urgent he sees you." The maid said with a curious look.

"Erik," Christine whispered in a painful tone.

Charles, hearing Erik's name jumped to his feet. "I'll deal with Mr. Dessler!" He said as he pulled open his desk drawer and withdrew a gun.

Christine gasped in horror at the sight of the gun within her father's grasp. "NO!" She said as she reentered the study and shut the door firmly behind her. "No! You put that away now!" She said as she tried to block her father.

"Get the hell out of my way Christine! He is trespassing on my property, I have a right to shoot any trespassers, and the law is on my side." He said with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

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Erik stood in the grand foyer, feeling as though he had traveled back in time to when he and his mother had first come to work for the Daae's. They had been treated quite badly by the elder Daae. Only Christine had ever treated them as though they had belonged within the elegant mansion. Only she saw them as equals in this world of privilege. Pulled from his thoughts, he stiffened as he heard Christine's raised voice. Rushing in the direction of her voice, he felt an overwhelming fear fill him. Fear that he would once again be too late to save her from her abusive father. "Christine!" he called out in an urgent tone.

Charles hearing Erik calling to his daughter pushed Christine roughly to the ground so he could throw the door open.

Christine winced at the sudden pain that shot through her head at the abrupt movement. "Father, no!" she said as she scrambled to her feet as she saw Erik rushing towards them.

Erik felt an uncontrollable rage fill him at the sight of Christine being thrown to the floor. With a roaring in his ears, he quickly crossed the distance between him and Charles.

Charles smiled in a deranged way as he saw his enemy advance. Pulling back the trigger on the handgun, he lifted it and aimed directly at Erik's strong chest. "So you think you got the best of me Dessler?" Charles asked in a sinister manner. "Well guess again."

Christine seeing that her father had the gun pointed at Erik, not thinking of her own safety she rushed to place herself in between the two men.

Erik felt his heart drop at Christine's careless disregard for her safety. "Christine!" he yelled out in fear as she jumped in front of her father's gun.

"Father, please hand me the gun," she pleaded in a desperate voice.

"Now be a good girl and get out of daddy's way." He said in a disturbing tone that sent a chill down her spine.

"Please Father," she pleaded in a beseeching tone.

Seeing the look of madness on Charles' face Erik knew that he was about to shoot the gun regardless of who stood in the way. With a quick grasp of his hands, he pushed Christine out of harm's way as he rushed towards Charles and the loaded gun.

Christine fell heavily against the wall as Erik pushed her aside. She stared in horror as Erik tried to wrestle the gun from her father's hand. "Oh God!" she cried as she watched the two men struggle. A single gunshot pierced the early morning as she watched in horror as both men fell to the ground.

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**A/N Who got shot you ask? Did anyone get shot? Stay tuned….I know I'm evil. Please let me know what you think in your reviews. Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – MJMOD **

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 6**

Christine raced towards the two men who had fallen to the floor. "Father!" she called urgently as she reached his side.

Erik hearing Christine's frantic cry, stood up to place the gun on the desk, far out of Charles' reach. Grabbing his cell phone he dialed 911 to alert the police and ambulance services. As he watched Christine lean over her father with a look of utter despair on her face, he felt as though a knife had pierced his heart. "Christine, help is on the way. Try to keep him calm. We need a blanket to keep him from going into shock." Erik said in a calm, even tone.

Christine turned her tear-stained face up towards Erik as she tried to concentrate on the words he just spoke. "Uh…ask Elena, she will get you a blanket." She said in a shaken voice.

Erik nodded and headed towards the door.

Charles felt a strange coldness all around him. Seeing his daughter leaning over him, he began to regret the course his life had taken. Knowing that he had little time, he smiled up into her frightened features. "Christine," he called softly.

"Don't talk Father, the ambulance will be here in a few minutes. Try to save your strength." She said as she held on tightly to his hand.

Shaking his head, he smiled sadly up at her. "No Christine, it is too late for me now."

"NO! No! You're going to be fine. Please don't talk like that!" she said in an anguished tone.

"Listen to me Christine, this is important." Charles said as he felt the last of his strength faltering. "Promise me you will take care of you mother."

"I will, you know you don't even have to ask that of me." Christine said in a halting voice.

"No, listen to me. You have to promise me that you won't allow Dessler to find out about your mother's part in sending him to prison." Charles said in a rush of words.

"What does that matter now?" Christine shook her head in disbelief.

Grabbing on to her hand he pulled himself up so that he could look directly into her eyes. "Christine, please promise me. I can't bear the thought of him coming after your mother. Promise me that she will have some dignity in her last days. Promise me!" he said with a surprising amount of resolve as his life was fading quickly.

"Father…please don't talk like that. You're going to be ok." She said as she pushed him gently to the floor.

Charles felt tears fill his eyes at the wasted years he spent on the accumulation of money and things, not realizing that his true treasure was always within easy reach, his beautiful Christine, his child. "Oh Christine, please forgive me. I'm so sorry for all that I have done."

Christine could feel him slipping away. "Father! Father!" she cried as she saw the life fade from his body. "Nooooo!" she cried with tears of sorrow running down her cheeks.

"I love you Christine, please at least let me leave you with that. I do love you so." He said in a hushed whisper as he faded into death's welcoming embrace.

"NO! NO! Oh God, no!" She cried out in grief. Taking a deep breath, she leaned down to kiss her father's cheek in a silent farewell. "I promise, I will protect Mother." She lifted his hand to hold it against her cheek looking down with all of the love she had within her. "I promise."

Erik came rushing back into the room with Elena close on his heels. Seeing that Christine was sitting silently by her still father's side, he saw that Charles has already left this painful existence. He turned his attention to the silent Christine. Walking over to her, he knelt down and pulled Charles' hand from her grasp. "Christine, come with me." He said softly as he gently grasped her arms.

Christine looked up into the concerned face of Erik. With a quizzical expression, she shook her head to try to clear the confusion from her mind. "Erik?' she whispered in a puzzled voice.

Pulling her into his embrace, he walked her carefully from the room. As he passed Elena, he motioned for her to follow. "The police should be arriving any moment. Would you please let them know that I have taken Ms. Daae to the hospital?" He said as he made his way out the front entrance.

"Yes of course." Elena responded with a worried expression.

Erik helped Christine into the passenger side of his Ferrari. Once she was securely buckled up, he shut the door gently. Pulling his cell phone from his blood stained pant's he hit the speed dial to connect him with Nadir. "Nadir, I'm taking Christine back to the hospital. Her father is dead, he pulled a gun on me, and it went off as we struggled for it. The police are on the way now."

"Jesus Erik!" Nadir exclaimed in an astonished voice. "I'm calling Jack," Nadir said in a firm tone.

Erik frowned at the mention of his lawyer's name. Sighing resignedly, he knew that with his past criminal record that he would be an immediate suspect in the shooting of Charles Daae. "Fine, but I'm not leaving Christine until she is back in the hospital and out of danger." He insisted.

"Ok, I'll let Jack know what's happening and get back to you." Nadir said as he thought out the game plan for Erik's defense.

Erik ended the call and took his seat beside Christine. Looking at her, he felt a cold fear take hold of him. She looked as though she could break into a thousand pieces. _Damn it!_ He thought to himself. He alone was responsible for all that she had endured in the last twenty-four hours. Starting the engine, he eased the powerful car out onto the private drive, his thoughts centered on the silent woman seated next to him.

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Erik waited impatiently outside the CAT scan room as Christine was receiving her second scan. Dr. Morgan had met them at the hospital entrance upon their arrival. Erik was grateful that Nadir had the foresight to contact the doctor and have him turn around to meet them. Looking at his watch, he saw that he had been waiting for more than forty minutes. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he called Nadir to get an update on the situation at the Daae mansion. "Nadir, what is happening with the police?"

"Jack is with me now. We are on our way to the Daae estate to explain why you left with Christine." Nadir said as he turned onto the road leading to the mansion. "We're pulling in now. Jack wants to speak with you." Nadir handed the phone over to Erik's lawyer.

"Erik, the police will want to question both you and Ms. Daae as soon as possible." Jack informed his top client. "Can you tell me what happened exactly?"

Rubbing his tired eyes Erik sighed with frustration. "I went to find Christine. She had left the hospital in the middle of the night against her doctor's advice. When I got there, I heard her arguing with her father. He had hit her yesterday while he and Christine were in my offices for a meeting. Both Nadir and I were witnesses to his abuse. So when I heard them arguing I was concerned for her safety. I ran into the room and saw Charles knock Christine to the ground. When he saw me, he pointed a gun at me and said something along the lines of 'so you think you got the best of me Dessler, well think again.' At that point Christine jumped in front of the gun and pleaded with her father to put the gun down." Erik felt a shudder of fear race down his spine at the memory of Christine standing in front of her deranged father while he held a gun pointed directly at her. "I immediately pushed her out of harm's way and grabbed for the gun. Charles and I struggled for a moment and the gun went off. We both fell to the floor. I retrieved the gun and placed it on the desk out of his reach and left the room to call for help."

Jack nodded his head. "Ok, did anyone else other than you and Ms. Daae witness this?"

"No, just the three of us were in the room." Erik responded in a weary voice.

"All right, I will need you to make a statement to the police. So you will need to come down here as soon as possible." Jack said as he made several notes onto his yellow legal pad.

"I'm not leaving Christine." Erik said in a tone that would brook no arguments.

"Erik," Jack began in his best lawyer's voice. "You really don't have a choice here. If you don't come in voluntarily then it will make you look guilty."

"I'm not leaving Christine. And you can damn well tell the police that they will get their statement when I'm damn good and ready." Erik sneered into the small phone.

Sighing resignedly, Jack knew that he had pushed Erik beyond his tolerance. "All right Erik, but don't be surprised if the police show up there to question you. Just tell them what you told me, nothing more. I'll try to hold them off until later this afternoon."

"Fine, tell Nadir that I will check in with him later." Erik said as he disconnected the call. Leaning back against the wall he felt as if he had aged ten years in the last twenty-four hours. Seeing Christine again after all these years had certainly turned his life upside down. His carefully thought out plan had backfired, and now it was he who had brought an unthinkable amount of pain to Christine. Running a shaking hand through his thick hair, he wondered how she was going to react when the shock of it all wore off.

Dr. Morgan held the scan room door open for the nurse who was guiding Christine's gurney through the hall.

Erik jumped to his feet at the sight of Christine lying so still on the hospital gurney. "How is she?" he asked the doctor as he anxiously watched Christine being taken back in the direction of her room.

"The second scan shows that the bleeding has stopped. She is still showing a small bit of swelling, but that is to be expected with a concussion. I am concerned about her mental state. When you brought her in she seemed as though she wasn't aware of her surroundings." Dr. Morgan said with a look of concern on his face.

Erik frowned as he looked at the doctor. "She just witnessed her father's accidental death. He had a gun pointed at me, she watched as he and I struggled for the gun. It went off and her father suffered a fatal wound." Erik explained in an exhausted voice.

"Well that certainly explains it. She is in a state of shock. I want to keep her overnight to observe her condition. I am also going to order her sedated for the rest of the day and into tonight. I will be with her tomorrow when she awakens to see the effects of the shock. I'd expect that for her it would be as if she is reliving the events as if they had just occurred." Dr. Morgan predicted sadly.

"May I sit with her for a while?" Erik asked hopefully.

"Yes, she won't know that you're there of course." Dr. Morgan motioned Erik towards the hallway.

As they reached Christine's room Erik turned towards the doctor he had so callously cursed this morning. "Thank you," he offered softly in way of an apology as he entered the private room.

Seeing Christine lying so pale against the crisp white sheets was almost his undoing. He felt as though someone had reached into his chest and pulled out his heart. Allowing himself a humorous laugh at his own expense he thought of all of the years he plotted his revenge on this woman who had stolen so much from him. This beautiful woman who was now the recipient of his revenge. This woman who so many years ago had turned her back on all that they had pledged to each other, a promise of a future filled with love and family. Taking a seat at her side, he gently picked up one of her limp hands within his, bringing it to his lips he kissed it with a reverence that spoke of the deep love that he still felt for her after all of these years. "Christine," he whispered her name with tortured longing.

Christine felt as though she were drifting within a dream. Smiling in her sleep she felt Erik's presence, as though he was there watching over her, loving her as he had so many years before. Erik, her one true love.

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Nadir filled Erik in on the business aspects of the prior day. Seeing that Erik wasn't paying any attention to the latest stock prices on the company they were trying to take over, he closed his leather bound pad with a resounding thump.

Erik was pulled from his thoughts as Nadir rose to stand. "What is on the agenda today?"

"Jack will meet us at the police station at 10:00; you need to sign the statement that you gave yesterday." Nadir said as he glanced at his watch.

"Anything else?" Erik inquired never taking his eyes off of Christine's door.

"You need to decide how you want to proceed with the Daae estate, the time limit is almost up for them to vacate. I assume under the circumstances that you will allow them to remain for an extended period of time." Nadir said in a careful tone.

"Yes, also make sure that Christine's mother is receiving the best care available." He said as he began to pace the small waiting room. "What could be taking so long?" he asked.

Nadir looked at his long time friend with a strange look on his face. For all of the years that he had known Erik, he had only one purpose in mind, to extract revenge on Christine. But seeing Erik now, he thought that he saw a man who was utterly and hopelessly in love.

The elevator doors opened to reveal the lead detective who was working on the Daae shooting. "Gentlemen," Detective Frank Sterner greeted the two men who he had interviewed yesterday. "I'm here to question Ms. Daae. Has she regained consciousness this morning?" he questioned.

Erik felt as though he could strangle the life out of the detective. "The doctor is with her now. Can't your questions wait?"

Frank raised an eyebrow as he regarded the wealthy businessman. "No, it can't." he said with a firm tone.

Erik scowled at the detective as he resumed his pacing.

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Dr. Morgan watched Christine closely as she began to awaken from her sedatives. "Ms. Daae, you are at the hospital."

Christine heard a strange voice calling to her. Opening her eyes, she tried to focus on the man in the white coat who stood over her with a look of concern. Frowning up into the unfamiliar face, she tried to remember what had occurred to bring her to this place. As though she were watching a fast moving picture screen, visions of the past twenty-four hours shot through her head at a breakneck speed. Seeing Erik again, learning that he had so methodically set out to destroy her and her family, her father hitting her in a show of anger, her stay at the hospital, the trip to her parents'. And finally the discovery that her father had so callously lied on her behalf. But there was one more thing she was missing, something important. She looked up at the Doctor who was recording her vital signs in a chart.

Dr. Morgan waited patiently as Christine slowly emerged from her sedation. "Christine, I'm Dr. Morgan. Do you remember me from yesterday?"

Nodding her head in ascension, Christine tried once again to remember the missing piece of information that was calling to her so urgently.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?" Dr. Morgan asked as he kept a careful eye on her reactions.

"Yes, I went to my father's house." She said in an unsteady voice.

"Yes, that is correct. Do you remember what occurred?" He asked in a calm even tone.

Taking a deep breath Christine tried to remember the events of the previous day. "I…I'm not sure." She said with a look of puzzlement.

"Well that's not important right now." He said as he closed the chart. "You have a visitor who has been waiting to see you all morning, shall I send him in?"

"Yes," Christine said as she tried to imagine who would want to see her.

Crossing to the door, he motioned to Erik to join them.

Erik entered the room fearful of what state he would find Christine in.

Christine gasped in surprise as she saw Erik enter her room. Sitting up in her bed, she felt a rush of blood within her head. "Erik?" she called in a shaky voice.

Detective Sterner entered the room just behind Erik. "Ms. Daae, I'm Detective Frank Sterner." He informed her as he showed her his badge.

Christine looked up at the short heavy man with a look of surprise.

Erik wanted to punch the detective into next week for his insensitivity. "This isn't the time to be questioning her!" Erik snapped at the irritating detective.

"She has already had twenty-four hours; I can't delay my investigation any further no matter who you are within the community!" Frank responded with the full weight of his authority.

Christine watched the interchange between the detective and Erik with curious eyes.

"Ms. Daae, I have a few questions regarding your father's shooting," he said as he flipped open his notepad.

Christine closed her eyes as her mind replayed the horrific scene. "Oh God! No!" she cried out as she put her hand to her mouth to hold in the scream that was threatening to escape. Shaking her head, she tried to block out the image of her father holding a gun on Erik. The sight of Erik and her father fighting for the gun. The loud sound that still rang within her ears. "No…" she whimpered as she put her arms around herself, trying to block out the memories of her father's death.

Erik walked quickly to her side. "Christine!" he called to her as he took her shaking hand in his.

Christine felt as though Erik had burned her with his touch. "NO!" she yelled as she pulled her hand away. "NO!" she repeated as she shook her head from side to side. "Don't you dare touch me! Not you! Not after you killed my father!"

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**A/N Oh no! Now Christine is accusing Erik of killing her father, what could possibly happen next? You'll just have to wait and see! Please let me know what you think in your reviews. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – MJMOD (She had to edit this chapter three time, how's that for dedication!)**

Erik's Vengeance 

**Chapter 7**

Christine hardened her heart as she watched her mother's personal maid pack up the last of her clothing. Looking dejectedly at the five boxes that were stacked neatly by the door, she smiled in Susie's direction. "Thank you Susie, if you would just have Robert come up and take these down to my car." She requested in a soft voice.

On her way out to do her employer's bidding, Susie paused at the sight of the forgotten framed photograph. "Oh sorry Ms. Christine, I forgot to pack this." She apologized as she lifted the photo from its place on the elegant antique dresser.

Holding out her hand Christine accepted the silver framed photo depicting herself as a seventeen-year-old girl, atop her graduation present, her most beloved horse, Chester. "I'll take it Susie. If you will send up Robert," she said as a reminder.

Susie returned Christine's smile with an answering sadness. "Yes, Ms. Christine, right away." She replied as she turned to leave the room.

Sitting wearily upon her parent's bed, she closed her eyes in defeat. _God how had it all come to this, _she thought to herself in disbelief. In ten short days, Erik Dessler had systematically taken everything from her in his quest for revenge. His unending relentless thirst for her destruction had led her to the loss of her own apartment, that unbeknownst to her had been mortgaged by her father in his attempt to shave off his creditors. Looking down at her own smiling face, she pictured Erik as he was then, so loving and caring. Where did that sweet young man with whom she had fallen so completely in love with go?

Fifteen years earlier 

Unbuttoning another button on her crisp white shirt, Christine adjusted the neckline to show off her barely there cleavage as she entered the stables. Looking around the large stable, she was disappointed to see that Erik was not there. With a small pout on her lips, she walked over to the back exit to search out her prey. Seeing one of the town's local feed trucks, she knew that Erik must be busy with the deliveryman. Leaning against the doorway, she made herself comfortable as she patiently awaited his return. Her breath caught in her chest as she saw a bare-chested Erik walk casually towards the heavily loaded truck. She stood stone still as she watched him effortlessly hoist two fifty-pounds bags of feed onto his sweat glistening shoulder. "Oh my" she let the surprised words escape her parted lips as she continued to watch him with longing in her eyes. As the last bag was unloaded, Christine saw the deliveryman shove a clipboard towards Erik with a look of disgust. She felt a simmering anger begin to fill her at the rudeness of the man. She watched as Erik scrawled his signature to the paper, accept his copy and turn to walk towards the stable. Retreating quickly from his view, she took several deep breaths to calm her nervousness as she awaited his entrance.

Erik turned and made his way back towards the stables. He glanced at his watch and saw that Christine was due within the hour for her ride, giving him just enough time to take a shower so as not to offend her delicate senses. As he entered the deserted barn, he took off his mask to wipe away the sweat that was pooling underneath. His overly hot face welcomed the feeling of fresh cool air upon its scarred surface.

Christine lifted her hand to her mouth to hold in the cry of horror at the sight of Erik's unmasked face. She felt tears fill her eyes at the utter devastation of his scarred visage. How he must suffer to have to live with such a monstrous face. _I need to get away from here,_ she thought frantically to herself as she watched him walk towards the small office within the stables. Silently making her way towards the door, she kept her eyes trained on Erik's retreating form as she cautiously backed out the door.

Present day

"Ms. Christine, Suzie said you needed me to load some boxes?" Robert interrupted her memories of the past.

Standing up, Christine made her way towards the door. "Yes, if you could please take these down to my car." She instructed as she pointed to the stack of boxes.

Robert frowned as he looked at the defeated look on Christine's face. "Ms. Christine, I think it is just terrible the way Mr. Dessler is evicting your family from the house." He said in an angry tone.

Christine smiled sadly at the loyalty that shown so brightly in his dark eyes. "Thank you Robert," she said as she passed out of the room. Walking past the open door of her childhood room, she paused as she took in the pale pink furnishings. She saw that her toe shoes still hung exactly where she left them all those years ago. She wondered what Erik would do with all of the things they left behind. Probably throw them in a big pile in the back yard and burn them as he toasted his victory, she thought to herself sarcastically. "Enough Christine!" she admonished herself for her self-pitying thoughts as she pushed herself onward. She needed to be at the extended care facility to meet with her mother's physicians in less than an hour. Walking into her girlhood room she carelessly tossed the picture onto the canopy bed. "You wanted it all Erik, then be my guest." She said with a coldness that had been her constant companion for the last week. Turning her back on the past she made her way down the stairs with a newfound purpose, she didn't look back once as she left behind her family home for the last time.

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Nadir gave a courtesy knock before he entered Erik's private office. "I just got a call from Reynolds; he reported that Christine has just left the estate." He informed his exhausted looking boss.

"Is everything in place?" he asked regarding Christine's impending meeting with the financial administrator at her mother's extended care facility.

"Erik, are you sure you want to go through with this?" Nadir asked as he took a seat across the heavy mahogany desk. "She's only been out of the hospital for three days and in those three days she has been evicted from not only her family home but the apartment that she thought she owned." He said with a sympathetic tone.

"Is everything in place?" Erik repeated his question with a cold look in his green eyes.

Frowning Nadir nodded his head. "Yes, the facility's administrator has been apprised of the new owner's wishes." He said flatly.

"Good," Erik offered with an unemotional tone.

Nadir had watched Erik carefully over the past week and saw that as much as his employer tried to remain unaffected by Ms. Daae, it seemed that with every new development, Erik became closer to losing his iron control over his emotions. "Erik, please reconsider, she just buried her father yesterday for God's sake!" Nadir said emphatically as he tried to reach his closed off boss.

"Call down to John and have him bring the car around in ten minutes." Erik instructed as he pointedly ignored the unwelcome advice from his long time friend.

Sighing with a resigned feeling of impending disaster, Nadir rose and started towards the office door. Without thought to the consequences of his next statement, he turned and offered one last piece of advice. "Erik, if you do this to her you will not only destroy her but yourself as well." He said in a soft voice that resounded with pure conviction.

Erik merely looked up at his employee without uttering a single syllable.

Nadir shook his head in defeat as he grasped the doorknob and let himself out.

Staring at the closed door for several minutes with an unchanging expression, Erik felt the truth of his friend's words as they pierced a hole in his cold black heart. So much had happened since he had first met up with Christine just ten short days ago. Her father was now dead. He gave a humorless laugh at the scene in Christine's hospital room where she implicated him in her father's death. _Thank God for the advances in forensic science_, he thought to himself as he recalled the evidence that deemed the shooting an accident. Erik replayed his friend's words of just a moment ago, _"Erik, if you do this to her you will not only destroy her but yourself as well." _ "You're so right my friend, but God help me I can't stop myself," he whispered with his long-suffering pain so clearly displayed in his eyes.

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Christine started to laugh hysterically at the absurdity of her current situation.

Maxine Collins was taken aback by the strange reaction she was receiving from the beautiful woman in her office. "Ms. Daae, maybe you didn't quite understand what I just said. I'm afraid that we can no longer care for your mother here." She said in a soft calming tone.

Christine leaned back in her chair and shook her head at the concerned look on Mrs. Collins' face. "No, I understood you perfectly Mrs. Collins. You have just stated that you are throwing my mother out of your facility."

"I'm afraid that I have no choice but to tell you that you will need to have your mother transferred to another facility by noon tomorrow." Maxine said without meeting Christine's eyes.

Looking up at the ceiling, Christine tried to blink away the tears that were filling her eyes. "And just where do you suggest that I transfer my mother to?" She asked in a shaky voice.

Picking up a paper Maxine held it out to Christine. "I have listed two state hospitals' who will accept indigent patients, Ms. Daae." She said in a kind tone to try to ease her guilty conscience.

"State hospital?" Christine whispered as a feeling of failure began to wash over her.

"Yes, they are state funded and will accept your mother." Maxine said with sadness reflected on her wrinkled face.

"Ah! are you telling me that the Great Erik Dessler has no control over the state hospital system?" Christine asked with a sharp sarcastic edge to her voice.

"Ms. Daae," Maxine began in a concerned tone as she rose from her chair.

"Never mind," Christine said as she waived away the older woman's unwelcome concern. "Don't answer that, I know that you are only a pawn in his game in much the same way as I." Christine said bitterly as she rose from the chair to open the door. Turning at the door, she looked once more at Mrs. Collins. "I will make the necessary arrangements. I'll give you a call tomorrow morning." She said in a defeated tone as she resigned herself to the fate that Erik had so carefully orchestrated for her.

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Michelle looked up from her chart as Christine entered her mother's ward.

Christine greeted her mother's long time private nurse with a smile that did not reach her tear-filled eyes.

"Oh honey," Michelle held her arms out to Christine.

Seeing the sympathy reflected in Michelle's kind brown eyes opened the floodgates on Christine's over taxed emotions. Allowing herself to accept this one kindness, Christine fell into the older woman's embrace, as she cried out her pain. Pain of learning the truth of her parent's lies, pain of losing her father, and finally pain at failing her mother in these, her last few months of life.

Michelle had to fight back the tears that were filling her own eyes as she tried to offer some small comfort to her patient's daughter. Patting her back in a gentle motion, Michelle began to fear for this woman who had experienced so much pain in such a short period of time. As Christine's sobs began to lessen, Michelle reached for a tissue on the side table. "Here, dear," she said as she handed Christine the soft white paper.

"I'm sorry," Christine said in a slightly embarrassed tone, as she recovered herself.

Holding her at arms length, Michelle assessed the devastation on Christine's face. "Now you listen to old Michelle, I will visit your mother at lease once a week to make sure that they are taking good care of her. Don't you fret any on that Christine."

Smiling through her tears, Christine was grateful for this one small kindness that Erik with all his money and connections could not take. "Thank you Michelle, I'd appreciate that."

"You're welcome, now your mom is looking forward to your visit. She is having a good day today." Michelle offered as she gently led Christine towards her mother's room.

Before she entered, Christine turned to face Michelle. "Does she know about her transfer?" she asked in an anxious voice.

"No, I thought that she should hear that from you." Michelle said with a compassionate look.

Nodding her head, Christine pasted a brave smile on her face as she opened the door. Seeing that her mother was awake, she crossed to the bed and gave her mother a kiss on her pale cheek. "Hi Mom," she said with a false carefree tone.

"Christine, why haven't you been to see me?" The once elegant woman said with a confused look in her blue eyes.

"I was here yesterday Mom, don't you remember?" Christine asked as she took the chair that Michelle had so thoughtfully left for her at her mother's bedside.

'No, your Father was here, but not you. I'd remember." Louise Daae said with a firm belief.

Biting her lip to suppress the painful tears that her mother's comment brought forth, Christine looked up at Michelle with a beseeching look for assistance.

"Now you know that Christine came by yesterday, Ms. Louise. She was here in the afternoon; she and you had tea in the courtyard." Michelle offered helpfully.

"Oh yes, tea would be lovely. Michelle can you order us some?" Louise asked with a gracefulness that attested to her privileged upbringing.

"Yes, I'll go and place the order now." Michelle responded as she made her way towards the door.

Christine knew that she had better prepare her mother for the transfer tomorrow. "Mom, tomorrow you are going to be moved to another hospital." She said with a slight smile.

Frowning Louise looked at her daughter as though she didn't quite understand. "No, this is my home."

Inhaling a deep breath Christine once again tried to reach her mother. "Mom," she called in a firmer tone. "Tomorrow morning there will be an ambulance to pick you up and take you to your new home."

"This is my home!" Louise began to shout in agitation.

"Mom, no. Please listen to me." Christine began as she held on tightly to her mother's hand. "You can't stay here any longer. I'm sorry. But don't worry I'll ride with you. And I'll be there to see you every day."

Shaking her head from side to side, Louise began to shake with apprehension. "No, No! I'm staying here. This is my home Christine! This is my home!" She cried as tears began to fall down her pale cheeks.

Feeling her heart break at the sight of her mother's pain, she cursed herself for failing her promise to her dying father by allowing her mother to suffer. Blinking at the tears filling her own eyes, she tried to calm her mother. "Mom, please don't get upset." She said in a soothing tone.

Louise began to breathe heavily at the impending change she could not control.

"Mom! Mom!" Christine called to her wheezing mother franticly.

Michelle reentered the room and instantly knew that her patient was in distress. Crossing quickly towards the bed she reached for the oxygen mask and expertly adjusted the flow. Reaching up she pushed the assist button to alert the staff to the impending crisis. "Listen to me Ms. Louise, breathe in slowly." She said as she took Louise's pulse. "That's it. Slowly."

Christine watched in hopeless horror as her mother struggled to regain her breathing.

A team of nurses and doctors rushed into the room and each assumed a duty in the care of Louise. "Stats?" the senior physician called out sharply.

"Pulse 122, blood pressure 140 over 90 breathing shallow." Michelle reported efficiently.

"Give her 20 of Valium, let's see how she responds." Dr. Reid ordered his team.

After the drug was administered, Louise was once again breathing in slow calming breaths.

"She will be asleep the rest of the night Christine." Michelle informed her softly as the other staff members began to file out of the room. "You best go home and rest now. I'm on duty all evening, so I'll call you if there is any change." She said gently.

Nodding her head Christine leaned down and kissed her mother's pale cheek before she slowly walked towards the door. Turning she looked into the concerned eyes of her mother's nurse, finding the look of pity reflected in the older woman's eyes almost unbearable. "Thank you Michelle." She said in a far off voice that had Michelle frowning in concern long after the door had closed behind her slumped form.

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Erik waited patiently by his silver Mercedes as he watched for Christine. Looking at his watch, he knew that she had finished her meeting with the administrator over an hour ago. _What could be taking her so long?_ He silently asked himself. Just as he was about to reach for his cell phone to find out why she was being detained, he saw Christine exit the glass-enclosed lobby.

With her head down, Christine quickly made her way towards her car. Not seeing Erik standing in front of the private hospital's entrance she was shocked to hear his voice call out her name.

"Christine" Erik called to her in a cold voice.

Looking up sharply she felt an unbearable pain race through her at his presence at the lowest point of her life. "What do you want Erik?" she asked in a flat voice that attested to her abject feeling of utter devastation.

Frowning at the look of hopelessness in her eyes, Erik felt an unwelcome guilt wash over him. "I want to talk to you." He said quietly.

"Well I have nothing to say to you." Christine responded sharply as she turned and walked rapidly in the direction of her car.

"Fuck!" Erik cursed under his breath as he began to follow her quickly departing form. "Christine!" he called to her urgently.

As she reached the driver's side of her car, she reached into her purse to search for her keys. "Go away Erik. I have nothing left for you."

Erik felt as though she punched him in the stomach with her unemotional dismissal. "Christine, I want…" he began only to be cut off by the chilling voice of Christine.

"You want!" Christine turned on him with unleashed venom that she had been holding in check for the last ten days. "Well stop the world people! The great all mighty Erik Dessler wants something!" she said in a hysterical tone.

Erik froze at the undeniable pain reflected in her tone. "Christine," he called in a soft voice.

"NO! Don't you dare say my name! I don't owe you anything else now Erik!" She spat at him in hate.

"Christine, if you will just listen to me for one minute." He began in an irritated manner.

"What could you have to say that I would want to hear? Is there perhaps something you forgot to take from me? Hmm?" She said with a hard, sarcastic edge.

"Christine!" he called out sharply.

"Oh how stupid of me, you want the car!" She said as she finally found her keys and tossed them with as much force as she could muster towards his perfect face.

Erik effortlessly fielded her toss with a one handed catch. "Christine, please calm down." He said in a weary voice.

Laughing at the unmitigated gall of the man, Christine shook her head in disbelief. "Calm down, you said?" She adopted a thoughtful expression on her face. "Hmm, calm down, now that is a novel idea, should I be calm about how you evicted my family from their home, or me from my apartment? Or how about when you stole my father's company. Oh wait here is a good one, should I be calm about my father's death!" she shouted in anger.

Erik flinched at the loathing so evident in her blue eyes. "Christine…" he began only to watch her turn on her heel and begin to walk away. "Christine!" he called after her retreating form.

Christine paused but did not turn to face the man who she had once thought of as her one and only love. "Leave me alone Erik, I have nothing left for you now." She said in a flat tone that broke Erik's heart.

Closing his eyes against the pain her dejected statement brought, he took a deep breath and played his next card. "You're wrong Christine. There is one thing left."

Christine remained frozen in place as Erik's words pierced her heart. "What could I possibly have left that you haven't already taken?" she asked in a flat tone.

Swallowing hard Erik watched her stiffened form with an unequaled pain reflected in his green eyes. "You Christine. I want you."

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**A/N These two stories are really taking a toll on me so please be kind. Let me know what you think in your reviews. Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – MJMOD **

Erik's Vengeance 

**Chapter 8**

"You, Christine, I want you." Erik's words hung in the air like an unholy wind that couldn't be stopped.

Christine felt the lone tear escape her closed lid to trail slowly down her right cheek. What was once the one thing she had longed to hear cross his perfect lips was now the most unwelcome. Inhaling a shuddering breath, she gathered the last shreds of her dignity and gave him her answer. "Well that is the one thing your money can't buy Erik," she said in a cold voice that sent a knife through his heart.

Stiffening angrily at her quick rejection, he crossed the distance between them in three easy strides. Grasping her roughly by her forearm, he whipped her around to face his wrath. Threading his hand through the hair at the nape of her neck, he tugged her head back with a force that caused a cry of pain to escape her lips. With his other arm, he brought her body up tight against his, allowing her to feel the full extent of his potent arousal. Christine's struggles only further intensified his anger as he locked her more tightly against him.

As Christine looked up into his hatred-filled eyes, she felt an overwhelming surge of fear shoot through her. "Let me go," she pleaded in a raspy voice, as fresh tears filled her frightened eyes.

Erik lowered his head and took her trembling lips in a hard punishing kiss that expressed the intensity of his pent up rage.

Christine pushed frantically at his chest as his tongue gained entrance to forcefully plunder the tender recesses of her mouth. As the hurtful kiss continued, Christine felt an oddly familiar passion begin to find its way back from long years of dormancy. Without her consent, her body began to betray her and respond to Erik in an equaled remembered passion.

Erik felt the subtle shift in Christine's response as her body began to recognize the fierce passion that they had shared so many years ago. He gentled his kiss as he began to rock his hips slowly against hers.

Christine moaned in pleasure as she felt the stirring of desire for the man who had once been her only reason for living.

Erik stilled in horror at the feel of Christine's response, as though none of the intervening events of the last fifteen years had happened. Closing his eyes briefly, he regained his iron control and released her from his tight grip.

Drawing in a shocked gasp of air, Christine stumbled back a few steps as she looked up in confusion at the icy coldness reflected in Erik's features.

"I just wanted it to be clear that I don't need any amount of money to have you." He said with such honed cruelty that Christine felt a part of herself wither away in immeasurable pain. Erik was seething with rage at his unwelcome response to his most hated enemy. Seeing her pain clearly upon her pale face, he steeled himself to harden his heart. Reaching out her lifted her chin to examine her with a critical eye. "While I admit you do still possess a familiar attractiveness, I find that my tastes run to a younger range of woman these days. Therefore, you can rest assured that when I said that 'I want you' it was not in the sense that you thought. I find that you have little appeal to me in that area now." He said with a mocking glint in his hard green eyes.

Christine willed herself not to react to his hurtful statement, a feat that seemed near impossible as she felt as though her heart was surely breaking at his vindictive words. While she stood frozen in place, she just stared up at him with an emotionless expression, "Remove your hand." She ordered in a calm, measured voice.

Erik dropped his hand away from her chin as she requested, but he kept his contempt filled stare unwavering upon her pale features. "I have one last thing to discuss with you Christine, and if you choose not to accept my offer I will guarantee that I will never approach you again." He said in a menacing tone that sent a shiver of fear down her spine.

"I don't want to hear anything that you have to offer me Erik," she spat at him through her clenched teeth. Turning on her heel, she began to walk up the street away from the one man who had so ruthlessly destroyed her and her family.

Erik seeing her striding quickly away from him, felt as though he was about to lose a part of himself that once lost would never be recovered. Taking a deep breath, he played his last card. "Christine, it is in your best interest to hear my offer. I am willing to pay for your mother's treatment if you will agree to my terms." He said as he stared after her retreating form.

Christine stilled at the mention of her mother. _God how did he know that her mother was the one weakness that she would do anything for, _she thought to herself as she closed her eyes in defeat. Hating herself, she turned and walked back to his side. "What are your terms?" she asked with disdain dripping from every syllable.

Erik looked down his straight nose at her as though she were an irritant to be dealt with. "I am not in the habit of discussing my private business matters on the street. I will meet you in my office in three hours. If you are one minute late the deal is off the table and your mother's transfer will be carried out as planned." He said in a matter of fact tone that set Christine's teeth on edge. Holding out her keys, he smiled smugly as he looked down at her and instantly identified the hatred so plainly reflected within her eyes.

Snatching her keys away from him, she felt as though she was stepping into his trap. Without a word, she turned towards her car.

Erik watched with a clenched jaw as she unlocked her car. "Three hours Christine," he called to her in a manner that had her scowling at the control he had over her every move.

"Go to hell Erik!" she called out through the open window as she backed the small sporty car out of her parking space.

Erik merely gave her a mocking bow. He stood and watched until her car was out of sight, wondering if that were the last time he would ever set eyes upon her. The unwelcome thought cause a pain in his gut that he did not want to identify, for if she failed to arrive for the scheduled meeting then his revenge would remain forever unfulfilled.

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Sonya smiled up at Christine as she entered the elegant reception area. "Hi Christine, Amanda wanted me to tell you to see her as soon as you arrived." She said with a kind smile.

"Thanks Sonya," Christine replied automatically as she picked up her messages from her small mailbox. Walking through the doorway that separated the reception area from the offices, Christine stopped off briefly in her office to divest herself of her purse before seeking out her boss. Pausing to set down her messages, she wondered what her employer wanted. Laughing humorlessly to herself, she wondered if Erik the Great had infiltrated the American Ballet Theater. Seeing that the printers had dropped off the proofs for the upcoming season's programs she scoped them up as she made her way towards Amanda's grand office. Knocking softly on the elegant hand carved door, Christine waited for an invitation to enter.

Amanda knew from Sonya's alerting phone call that the task that she had been dreading all day had just arrived. Sighing deeply she called out for Christine to enter. "Come in," she called in a heavily accented voice.

Christine smiled as she pushed open the door to her elegant boss's office. "Hello Amanda, thank you so much for the beautiful flowers you sent for Father's service." Christine said as she shut the door quietly behind her.

"How are you doing dear?" Amanda asked with sympathy reflected in her wise eyes.

"I'm fine," Christine lied convincingly. "But I am ready to get back to work, so if you have some time I thought we could review the program proofs from the printers."

Amanda failed to hide her pained expression. "Just put those over there Christine." She said as she motioned to her credenza. "Please take a seat; I'm afraid that I have some distressing news to discuss with you."

Christine felt a feeling of dread surround her at Amanda's softly spoken words. Taking the seat in front of Amanda's desk, Christine prepared herself for the inevitable.

"The theater has received a very generous gift from a private benefactor." Amanda began with a slight smile on her perfectly powdered face.

Christine smiled at the news, for the theater had been experiencing a shortfall over the last several years. "That's wonderful news, Amanda."

'Yes, dear," Amanda responded with an uneasy tone. "Unfortunately with the gift came some ah…conditions."

Closing her eyes, Christine knew exactly who the benefactor was and what his 'conditions' entailed. "You don't need to say another word." She said with a resigned sigh.

"Christine," Amanda said in an apologetic tone.

"It's ok Amanda; I'll just go and collect my things." Christine said as she rose from the pink upholstered antique chair.

Amanda felt an overpowering shame fill her at the untenable situation she found herself in. "Christine," she called in a regret-filled voice.

Christine paused at the door as she heard Amanda call to her.

"I'm so very sorry," Amanda said sadly.

Turning Christine looked into the worried face of her former employer. "So am I Amanda, so am I." With that said, Christine simply walked out of the office with the certain knowledge that Erik would stop at nothing until he had taken every last ounce of her dignity.

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Looking dejectedly into his drink, Erik cursed the pangs of guilt that were plaguing him. With a tight fist, he brought his hand down forcefully against the hard wood surface of his desk, almost enjoying the sharp physical sting as it temporarily dulled the pain within his heart. His mind was filled with unending doubts. Doubts that all of his careful planning and work of the last fifteen years would be all for naught if she failed to show. How would he live the rest of his life without his final revenge? How would he be able to exist if she simply disappeared from his life forever? He silently asked himself. "Fucking hell!" he cursed aloud as he pushed his chair abruptly away from his desk to stride to the extraordinary view of the city's famous skyline. Seeing that the sun was beginning its slow descent, he felt an unaccustomed feeling of failure as time cruelly counted down the last seconds until the all-important deadline. A deadline that would determine the rest of his life.

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Christine leaned heavily against the elevator wall as she watched the numbers ticked away slowly, denoted each floor passed. _This is a mistake_; her mind silently berated her in an attempt to halt her self-destruction. As the doors opened on the thirty-fifth floor, Christine took a deep breath in order to calm her frantically beating heart. With a purposeful step, she exited the elevator and walked towards the glass-enclosed offices of VIM Enterprises.

The stylish blond receptionist looked up with an annoyed look. "May I help you?" She said as she gave Christine a quick once over.

"I have an appointment with Mr. Dessler." Christine said in a cool tone.

With a raised eyebrow the blond inquired further, "And may I tell him your name?" she said with a condescension that grated on Christine's last nerve.

"Certainly," Christine said with a haughty tone. "You may tell him that Ms. Daae is here to see him as he instructed."

"If you will just have a seat over there Ms. Daae, I'll alert Mr. Dessler's assistant of your arrival." She said as she pushed a single button on her console.

Christine took the offered seat and used her short reprieve to anticipate the new horrors that Erik had in store for her.

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Erik was pulled away from his tortured thoughts by the voice of his assistant over the office intercom.

"Mr. Dessler, Ms. Daae has arrived. Would you like me to show her in?" Claudia asked in an efficient tone.

Erik felt a range of conflicting emotions at the news that Christine had taken the bait to his final revenge. "Yes, Claudia. Please show her in." Erik called in a calm voice that expertly disguised the volatile emotions raging within him.

Taking his chair he waited for his long time enemy with a resolve that he was finally about to realize the one thing that would make all of his pain disappear. The unbearable pain of a loved betrayed; which remedy was only obtained in the achievement of final unmistakable retribution.

"Mr. Dessler, Ms. Daae." Claudia announced as she opened the door after a courtesy knock.

Christine stepped into Erik's office with a false sense of bravado. With a determined look, she gave him her hard stare of disdain as she crossed to stand before his antique desk.

"Hold all my calls Claudia," Erik called to his assistant as he kept his cold eyes trained on Christine's hardened features.

At the sound of the door shutting behind his assistant, Erik motioned for Christine to take the seat before his desk. "Thank you for coming." He said as he tapped his long, elegant fingers absently upon his desk.

Taking the offered seat, Christine took a deep breath and demanded the reasoning behind Erik's cryptic meeting. "You mentioned an offer?" she said without any semblance of politeness.

Erik smiled at the nervousness that she was desperately trying to hide. "Yes, I do have an opportunity that I would like to present to you." He said in a lazy tone that caused Christine to silently curse him to the depths of hell.

Christine gave him an expectant look, as she remained silent.

"I will agree to pay for all of your mother's medical expenses in exchange for your signature on this contract." Erik said as he opened his center drawer and took out the three page legal document that he had drawn up several years ago.

Snatching the papers out of his hand, Christine began to read the legal language written so explicitly upon the pages.

Erik watched the play of emotions upon her beautiful face as she read the extent of his carefully plotted out revenge.

Christine slowly raised her shocked eyes to lock with his triumphant gaze. "You're mad!" she said in a disbelieving whisper.

"Perhaps," Erik intoned as he stared at her with a bored expression.

"NO!" Christine said as she threw the offending document at his smug face. Rising angrily from her chair she quickly made her way towards the door.

Erik watched her with an amused expression gracing his handsome face. "Leave now Christine and your mother will be the one to suffer." Erik called lazily after her departing form.

Christine froze in place at the mention of her mother. Turning with tear-filled eyes, she faced the man who she knew she would curse for the rest of her days. "You bastard!"

"Your answer Christine." He said with a coolness that belied the frantic beating of his heart.

Christine closed her eyes to block out the sight of the man who now had gained complete control over her for the next four years. _Oh God help me!_ Her mind cried out silently as she gathered the courage to face the unbearable undertaking ahead.

"Your answer Christine," Erik repeated in an insistent tone.

As the tears of her defeat slowly began to fall down her cheeks, she allowed the one tortured word escape her trembling lips, "Yes."

Erik felt an unimaginable sense of relief flood through him at her final acceptance. He had finally achieved the one thing that had been denied him. He had finally had his revenge.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

Author – ToryD 

**Beta – MJMOD (Amazing beyond all compare! Thank you so much MJ for all that you do!)**

Erik's Vengeance 

**Chapter 9**

Christine followed the straight-backed Mrs. Giry out the servants' entrance to the path that led towards the stables.

"You will take your meals with the staff in the kitchen at 6:00, 12:30 and 6:00. You are expected to begin your work day at seven A.M. and will not be officially off duty until Mr. Dessler retires for the evening," Marie said as she walked briskly towards the stable house. "I will introduce you to Joseph Buquet, the grounds manager who will be your immediate supervisor. He will instruct you as to your duties."

Christine nodded her head in agreement, as she took in the magnificence of Erik's home. She almost laughed aloud as she drove up to the massive four story red brick colonial mansion. _The revenge business had done very well by Erik;_ she thought as she viewed the adjoining stables, tennis courts, Olympic sized pool, as well as a nine-hole golf course.

"Mr. Dessler has informed me that you are to be allowed Sunday afternoons off between the hours of 1:00 to 5:00, if you return even one minute late, you are to lose the privilege for the following week." Marie said firmly.

Christine's heart stopped in horror at the older woman imparted information. "Wait!" she cried as she rushed to step in front of Mrs. Giry to halt her progression. "There must be some mistake. My mother is terminally ill and not expected to survive more than six months. I have to take some time off every day so that I can visit her." She said with insistence.

Marie would have felt compassion for any other person who was about to lose a loved one, but not this woman, not after her vicious lies had put her best friend's son in prison. "There is no mistake." Marie replied with a coldness that caused a chill race down Christine's spine despite the 98-degree temperature. "Mr. Dessler was extremely clear with his instructions. You are only allowed four hours off a week, on Sunday." Marie said as she stepped around the teary-eyed Christine.

Christine closed her eyes against the utter sense of hopelessness that engulfed her. _Damn you Erik!_ Her heart cried out silently at his unending ruthlessness.

"Ms. Daae!" Marie called sharply.

Christine was pulled abruptly from her misery by Mrs. Giry's angry voice. With a deep sigh, she turned and made her way to the older woman's side. "Sorry," she mumbled in way of an apology, which only earned her another stern look.

As they reached the stables, Marie called out to the grounds manager. "Joseph, I have the new girl here for you."

Christine looked about the stable and saw that Erik had several beautiful horses in residence.

Joseph came out of his office to assess his latest employee. As he walked lazily towards them, he looked Christine up and down with a leering gaze. Taking in her delicate features, he felt a great sense of satisfaction fill him that he was to be in charge of such a beautiful woman. "So this is the woman that Mr. Dessler said for me to show no mercy too." He said with an intimidating look in his dark eyes.

Christine raised her chin in defiance at the disgusting man's statement.

Joseph laughed softly at the spark of anger within Christine's blue eyes. "Let's see if you have that same look at the end of the day." He said in a menacing tone.

Marie watched Joseph warily; not at all liking the way Joseph was looking at the latest addition to the staff. "Joseph," she called out to garner his attention. "Please show Ms. Daae to her quarters," Marie instructed with an authoritative tone.

"Certainly Marie," he said with a wide smile that showcased his yellowed teeth. "Ms. Daae if you will follow me."

Christine had to suppress a shudder of revolution as she followed her new boss up a flight of wooden stairs. As they made their way to the attic portion of the large barn, Christine resigned herself to four years of unmitigated hell as she became fully aware of the extent of Erik's vindictiveness. She followed Joseph into a small room that housed only a lumpy cot, a small dresser, a small table, a lamp and a chair.

"There isn't any air conditioning vents so it will get pretty hot up here. If I were you I spend my first paycheck on a fan." Joseph said as he leaned against the far wall observing her with a lustful stare.

Christine lifted her suitcase onto the bed. Turning she faced her leering boss with a look of disdain. "I believe we were to discuss my duties." Christine said coolly.

With a raised eyebrow, Joseph pushed himself away from the wall. "First you will need to change into your uniform," he said as he pointed to the small alcove that served as a closet. "Meet me in front of the stables in ten minutes."

Christine watched Joseph as he slowly crossed the room to exit thought the open doorway. As soon as she heard his heavy footsteps descend the wooden staircase, she flipped opened her suitcase to extract her copy of the agreement that guaranteed her mother's care in exchange for four years of servitude. Quickly scanning the legal document, she found the section detailing her work schedule requirements. With a gasp of despair, she sank slowly onto the cot as she put a hand to her mouth to hold in the cry of frustration that was threatening to erupt from her. "You're so stupid Christine!" she admonished herself in a tortured whisper. Inhaling a deep breath she stood and crossed the sweltering room to retrieve her uniform, which consisted of lightweight navy pants teamed with a matching work shirt that had her named embroidered across the left pocket. Quickly changing into her new attire she silently vowed to herself that Erik would not break her with his intentional cruelty. Whatever he and his minions wanted to throw her way, she would accept and not speak a word in defense. This would be her only control, her last tedious grasp at the last remnants of her shattered pride.

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Erik watched from his third floor study window as Christine pushed the fertilizer cart over the vast nine-hole golf course. He had been watching her for over an hour and had yet to see her take even the smallest of breaks. As the sun rose to its highest point in the hot August sky, Erik began to worry that she did not have the good sense to take a water break, or to even wear a hat for that matter. "Damn it!" he cursed to himself as he tried to push away his unwelcome concerns for Christine. This is what he had planned for all of these years. It was time to enjoy her suffering, he thought to himself with a self-justification that failed to calm his anxious nerves.

Marie knocked softly upon Erik's closed study door before she entered. "Would you like to take your lunch here or in the dining room?" she asked as she walked over to the window where he stood.

"The dining room," he answered with a pensive look upon his face as he continued his unwavering stare upon Christine's hard-working form.

Marie followed her employer's gaze out to the golf green. "She is a very good worker," she said in a soft tone.

"Yes," the word was torn from Erik's throat as a look of pain crossed his handsome face.

Marie watched with concerned silence as Erik battled his demons of a love betrayed.

Erik clenched his hands into a tight fist as he tried to bank down the excruciating ache within his cold heart. "Call down and tell Joseph to make sure she takes a break. Also tell him to provide her with a hat; I don't want her to come down with heat stroke." He said in an angry voice that had Marie's heart lurch in fear for her boss.

"Yes Erik," Marie responded as she turned and walked slowly towards the doorway. Pausing she turned as though she were going to speak once more. But upon seeing that he had resumed his silent vigil at the window, she simply shook her head and closed the door softly behind her, as her worst fear came to fruition. Erik still loved the beautiful woman he could not tear his eyes from. Despite of all of Christine's terrible, unforgivable lies that had resulted in his unjust imprisonment, he still loved her. Marie sighed sadly in defeat, as she now knew that there would only be more pain for all involved in this unstoppable travesty.

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Joseph made his way across the second hole of the lush green course towards Christine's sweating form. "Fucking hell!" he cursed loudly as he took in her appearance.

Christine looked up into his disapproving dark eyes as he shoved a water bottle towards her.

"Drink all of it," he ordered with a disgusted look. "Don't you even have the sense to wear sunscreen?" he asked in a frustrated tone.

Christine took a long deep drink of the chilled water, feeling its coolness wash down her parched throat. As she finished the drink, she could feel Joseph's perverted gaze upon her breasts. Crossing her arms in front of her chest defiantly, she gave him a cool stare.

Joseph smiled at the angry set of her mouth. "You know, Christine," he said in a seductive tone as he stepped closer to her tense form. "If you show me a little 'gratitude', I can make your time here a little bit easier," he informed her as he reached out to trail his dirty fingers along her collarbone down to the valley of her breasts.

Christine took a hurried step back as she slapped his offending hand away. "Take your filthy hand off me," she spat at his amused face.

"Now there is no need to be like that, Christine," he said as he licked the bead of sweat off his upper lip. Taking another step towards her, he snaked his arm around her and brought her up tightly to his body.

Christine fought with all of her strength in an attempt to break free of Joseph's captive hold. "Let me go!" she cried out in fury as she felt his wet sloppy tongue began to trace the curve of her lips.

"You know you want it," he said huskily as he pushed his insistent tongue into her protesting mouth.

Christine felt the bile rise up in her throat as she fought off Joseph's unwanted advances. Biting down hard onto his invading tongue, she was abruptly pushed violently to the ground as he cried out in enraged pain.

"You bitch!" He yelled as he touched his fingers to his bleeding tongue. "Just for that you will finish the fertilizer today!" he said with a vindictive look as he sped up her deadline by one full day.

Christine winced at the pain in her shoulder as she rose from the hard ground. "Fine," she replied with a venomous tone.

"You are not to go off duty until you have completed the entire course," he ordered as he picked up the empty water bottle she had dropped.

Christine merely resumed her position behind the small fertilizer cart without further comment.

"Lunch is in twenty minutes," he called out as he made his way back towards his office.

Christine waited until he was out of view before she allowed her tears of fear free reign. "Oh God, how will I ever survive this?" She cried out as she pushed the cart in a straight line down the never-ending stretch of green.

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Erik paced the short length of wall in Christine's assigned quarters as he awaited her arrival. Looking at his watch he saw that it was going on 9:30 P.M, _where in hell was she_, his mind questioned silently.

Christine climbed the wooden staircase slowly as every muscle within her body protested in pain. As she reached the open doorway, she saw that the lone lamp within the room was alighted. Taking in a deep breath, she prepared herself to defend herself against the offensive Joseph.

As Erik heard Christine's tired footsteps upon the staircase, his heart began to accelerate its beating within his chest. He watched with an apprehensive expression as she walked into the room.

"Erik," she called in a surprised tone. Collecting herself, she pulled her gaze away from his mesmerizing gaze. "Is there something you needed?" she questioned him in a resigned tone that caused Erik to shift uncomfortably upon his hand-sewn Italian shoes.

"I just wanted to make sure that you have everything you needed." He said softly as he took in her disheveled state.

"You and your staff have been nothing if not," she paused as she attempted to find the correct word, "accommodating," she said in a sarcastic manner that stung at Erik's heart. Holding the door wide for his exit, she gave him an expectant look.

"Christine," he began in an uncharacteristic pleading tone.

"If you do not require my services Mr. Dessler, than perhaps you would please leave so I can prepare for the hell you have in store for me tomorrow," Christine shot in his direction with pure hatred reflected on her reddened face.

Erik hardened his resolve to see her punished for her past betrayals. "That is a good idea Christine, for who knows what tomorrow will bring." He said cryptically as he walked through the opened door.

Christine slammed the door shut after his retreating form as she heard his soft laughter as he descended the stairs. Leaning heavily against the door, she closed her eyes to block out the sight of his handsome face. _God, how can I still be in love with him after all that he has done to my family and I_, her tortured mind cried out.

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Marie balanced the tray holding Erik's evening coffee service as she opened his study door. Seeing that he already had a large whisky within his hand she shook her head in a slightly admonishing fashion. "Erik, I think you need to have some coffee," she offered in an advisory tone.

Erik looked up from his sixth glass of the potent liquid with an inebriated gaze. "Marie," he said in a despondent tone.

Crossing the room, she gently took the over flowing glass from his shaking hand. "Erik, this is not like you," she said as she poured him a strong cup of black coffee.

Laughing humorlessly at himself, he looked up into Marie's concerned blue eyes. "I thought that when I finally had her here that I would find some peace," he said in a slurred voice.

"Drink this Erik," Marie ordered as she placed the cup to his lips.

Erik took a long drink to appease his housekeeper. "Marie, why won't the pain go away?" he asked with his eyes filled with such undisguised hurt.

"I don't know, dear," she said in a gentle tone.

"She is still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He whispered more to himself than to his mother's long time friend.

Marie's heart went out to her employer. _Oh my poor Erik_, her mind called out silently, he has suffered for so many years and now that his hard fought battle was at last won, he found that it had only brought about further pain.

Dropping his head into his hands, he allowed the unbearable pain he had so carefully banked down over the last few weeks its full freedom. "Marie," he called in a pain-filled whisper. "I love her, God help me I still love her."

Marie felt her eyes fill with tears for his tortured soul. "I know dear, I know." She said simply, failing to find a way to comfort the man who she had come to think of as her own beloved son.

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**A/N Oh our poor Erik is suffering more than Christine with his well executed vengeance. Next chapter we will have a little relief with the introduction of Meg (a maid at the estate) and her boyfriend Marcus (Erik's driver). Let me know what you think. Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

**A/N Howdy all, thanks for making the trip over here to A very heartfelt thanks for all of your emails showing your support through the last few difficult days. I was really touched by your caring thoughts. Now it's time to put it all in the past and continue where we left off. Let me know what you think in your reviews. Also, since this site doesn't have a story alert system, I will be emailing out an alert with each chapter update. So if you would like to be added to the list, please email me at – ToryD **

**Beta – MJMod**

Erik's Vengeance 

**Chapter 10**

Christine squinted against the early morning sun as she crossed the expansive lawn towards the servant's entrance of the main house. Pushing open the door she was met with the curious stares of the other staff members of Erik's household.

Marie looked up from her clipboard as Christine walked quietly into the large kitchen. "Ms. Daae, you are late. I expect you to be here at precisely six every morning for the daily agenda," Marie said in a censorious tone.

Christine felt as though she were back in Mrs. Weber's second grade class where she was often called out in front of her fellow students for tardiness.

"My apologies," Christine murmured as she passed the stern-faced Marie.

"Just take a seat," Marie said with a deep sigh.

Christine slid into an empty seat next to a young blond woman who offered her a small sympathetic smile.

"As I was saying, the guests will be arriving at four this afternoon, so we must have all of the guest rooms in order for inspection by two," Marie informed the staff as she checked off one of her many notation. "Mr. Dessler informed me that he is expecting thirty guests, so it is imperative that all of you be on hand to assist during the duration of the weekend." Marie looked up over the rim of her glasses and stared directly at Christine. "Ms. Daae, as per your contract you will be excused for Sunday afternoon," she stated with her irritation clearly written across her disapproving face.

Christine felt a heated flush to her cheeks as the entire staffed turned affronted looks towards her at her special treatment.

"Joseph, do you have everything in order?" Marie asked as her pen hovered over the endless checklist.

Caught unprepared for Marie's question, Joseph straightened up in his chair as he abruptly pulled his leering gaze away from Christine's breasts. "Uh…we're ready, Ms. Daae finished up the course yesterday," he said with a smug look.

Christine cringed inwardly at the sound of her name on his wet protruding lips. _How in the hell am I going to make it through the next four years_, she thought to herself in despair.

Marie frowned at the disturbing look she saw in Joseph's eyes before he answered her question. "Good, then Ms. Daae will assist with the kitchen preparations," Marie instructed as she checked off another item on her list. "That is all for now," she announced as she turned on her heel and headed towards her office.

The sound of several chairs scraping the tile floor ensued as the twenty plus staff members dispersed to go about their assigned duties.

The pretty blond woman Christine was seated next to stood and offered her hand as she introduced herself. "I'm Meg, I work here in the kitchen," she said in a sweet voice that was the first sign of welcome that Christine had received since her arrival.

Christine took Meg's soft hand in hers and returned the introduction. "Christine Daae. And I guess I am to be working in the stables."

Meg gave Christine an uneasy smile. "Yes, I heard that you were to be working with Joseph," she said carefully which caused an unsettling feeling in the pit of Christine's stomach.

"Why do you say it like that?" Christine asked with a sinking feeling.

Sighing deeply, Meg proceeded to warn the newest member to the Dessler staff. "Well, it's just that he has a bit of a reputation, umm…" she paused as she sought to choose her words carefully. "I just think that you need to be on your guard. Try not to be alone with him if you can help it," she finished as she turned to walk towards the sink. "Do you want some coffee?" she asked in a cheery voice that rivaled the noonday sun.

"Thank you," Christine said as she digested the vague warning.

"There are some muffins over there if you're hungry," Meg said as she picked up a large knife and began slicing several stalks of celery.

Taking one of the offered muffin's Christine returned to the long table and resumed her previous seat. "How long have you worked for Eri…Mr. Dessler," Christine asked as she observed the efficient slicing action of her co-worker.

"I have been here for two years," Meg said as she transferred the chopped celery into a large pot. "It's a great place to work, or at least is usually is," Meg said in a gossipy tone.

Christine looked up sharply at the strange comment. "Has something happened recently to change that?" Christine asked as she took a long drink of her coffee.

"Well," Meg said in a slightly excited tone as she walked quickly towards the table. "Mr. Dessler has been so angry lately."

Christine tried to keep a blank face as her heart began to race in her chest at the mention of Erik's anger. "Angry?" She asked with a questioning look.

"Yes! For about three weeks now. He is usually a great boss, easy to get along with, but now," Meg paused dramatically as she recalled the unpleasantness of the last few weeks. "I guess I really can't blame him with all that he has been through with the shooting and all."

Christine's face paled at the mention of her father's death.

Meg frowned as she took in the flash of pain that crossed Christine's face. "Are you all right?" she asked as she reached out and placed a comforting hand upon Christine's arm.

Blinking rapidly at the threatening tears, Christine pasted a brave smile on her face. "Yes, I'm fine. If you will just show me what you need me to do to help," Christine said shakily as she stood to put an end to the painful conversation.

Meg sat for a second as the realization of Christine's identity hit her like a ton of bricks. Christine Daae, Charles Daae, this was the daughter of the man who was shot. "I'm so sorry, Christine," she said in a soft sympathetic tone that cut through the thin veil that had housed Christine's fragile emotions.

Silent tears fell down Christine's pale cheeks as she allowed herself this one moment to feel the pain that she had so carefully banked down over the last few weeks.

Meg stood and crossed to stand in front of Christine. "Do you want to talk about it Christine," she offered in a compassionate voice.

Shaking her head, Christine tried to recover her lapse of emotion. "No, thank you. I just need to stay busy. So if you will just show me what I can do to help," she said as she wiped at her offending tears.

Meg nodded her head sadly, "Well you can start on these carrots," she said as she pointed towards a large stack of fresh carrots.

Taking a deep breath Christine headed off in the direction of her assigned task, thinking that if she could just keep breathing she would survive this; she just needed to keep breathing.

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Erik sat staring at his computer screen as he listened to Marie's update on this weekend's plans. What had seemed such a good idea only a week ago, now seemed to be a torture of his own creation. What had he been thinking inviting thirty of Christine's peers for a weekend filled with situations designed to embarrass her?

"Raoul Chancy will be arriving later this evening in time for cocktails," Marie informed her boss.

Erik felt a heated flush upon his skin at the mention of Christine's former boyfriend. He remembered the first time he read that name in his surveillance reports on Christine. He felt the same overwhelming rage fill the pit in his stomach. Clenching his hands into tight fists, he tried to get his anger under control. "Anything else?" he asked in a chipped manner that caused Marie to glance up sharply from her notes.

"No, nothing important," Marie said cautiously.

Erik shifted restlessly in his chair. Knowing that he shouldn't but unable to stop himself he asked about Christine. "Did Christine do well on her first day?" he asked with a false sense of disinterest.

Marie looked at Erik with a keen speculation alight in her knowing eyes. "Yes, Joseph said that she was able to fertilize the entire course yesterday," Marie informed her tense employer.

"IN ONE DAY?" he bellowed as he jumped up from his tall leather chair. "In that heat? What the hell was Joseph thinking?" he demanded in an anger filled voice. Erik began to pace the length of his study at an agitated pace. "She is not used to such hard labor. She could have gotten heat stroke."

Marie watched with concerned eyes, as Erik wrestled between his love for Christine and his thirst for revenge. "Erik, she is fine. I just left her downstairs. She is scheduled for kitchen duty today," Marie explained gently.

Erik closed his eyes against the thought of any harm coming to her. "I don't want her hurt Marie," he said in a stilted voice that spoke of his deep emotion.

"I will make sure no harm comes to her Erik," she offered reassuringly only to think of the threat that Joseph could possibly pose.

Inhaling a deep breath he resumed his seat and turned his attention back to Marie, "I know that this doesn't make much sense to you, but it is just something I need to do," he said in a hollow tone that caused Marie's heart to break for the tortured man.

"Erik, I knew your mother for many years, and I don't think that she would approve of what you are doing," Marie said with a concerned tone.

Erik let his head fall into his hands as he took in the truth of Marie's words. "I know you're right, but God help me, I just can't stop," he said in a pain-filled voice that served to justify Marie's distress.

Rising she walked over to the man who had accomplished so much in his life. "Erik," she called to him. "I want you to listen carefully to the question I am going to ask and then consider well before you answer. What do you foresee when these four years have passed? Will you simply let her walk away?" Marie asked gently.

Erik felt an all-encompassing alarm fill him at the prospect of losing Christine forever, for she had been his sole purpose for living these past fifteen years. What would become of them in four years time? Could he simply let her slip from his grasp? His thoughts filled with unanswerable questions as he felt the utter helplessness that was of his own making. Looking up into Marie's wrinkled face, he saw her sadness reflected for his untenable situation.

Seeing the tortured look in Erik's overly bright eyes, she instinctively knew the answers to her questions. He would never be able to part with her, not after four years, not after forty. For this poor man loved Christine to the very depths of his soul. With a deep sigh, she leaned down and kissed his once scarred forehead. "I'll have one of the girls bring you some coffee," she said as she made her way towards the door. As she closed the door softly behind her she considered what she could do to help her poor Erik, as this current situation was set to end in pain for all involved. Everything hinges on Christine, she thought to herself as she pushed open the heavy kitchen door. Seeing Christine stirring a boiling pot at the stove she devised a plan to see if there was any possibility of a future between Erik and Christine. With so much past hurt and betrayals on both sides, one would almost certainly conclude that the answer would be a resounding no, but some indefinable intuition pushed Marie to ponder the slight possibility that there still might be a small chance for healing. "Ms. Daae," she called out.

Christine turned from her boiling pot of potatoes to look at the intimidating Mrs. Giry. "Yes Mrs. Giry?" she replied politely.

"Mr. Dessler would like his coffee served now. Meg will show you how to prepare his tray," Marie said in an absent manner as she crossed the room towards her office.

Christine felt her heartbeat quicken at the thought of coming face to face with Erik.

Meg reached up and retrieved an exquisite silver serving tray. Placing a single service of china on the tray, Meg proceeded to explain how Erik liked his coffee. "One teaspoon of sugar and just a drop of milk."

Once the tray was prepared, Meg directed Christine through the massive foyer to a long Persian carpeted hallway. "Third door on your left is his study. Be sure to knock and await his invitation before you enter the room," Meg advised.

Nodding Christine balanced the tray as she made her way down the long hall alone. Lifting her hand, she knocked lightly upon the doors hand carved polished surface.

"Come in," Erik's strong voice called out.

Christine pushed open the door and kept her eyes trained upon the tray, as if she were too timid to look at the face of her employer.

Erik felt as though someone had punched him in his stomach at the sight of Christine so humbled before him. "Christine," her name was torn from his lips in an anguished tone.

Christine unable to help herself looked up into Erik's pain-filled green eyes, and for one short moment in time, she was transported back to when she was loved by the very man who stood before her now.

Erik rushed to her side and took the heavy tray from her hands.

Christine felt her breath catch at the brush of Erik's strong fingers across her hand.

Looking at the pink hue to her face, Erik reached out to trace a light finger along her sun burnt cheek. "Do you have any ointment to put on your burn?" he questioned in a concerned tone.

Unable to speak, Christine merely shook her head.

Frowning, Erik felt the full weight of his guilt settle around him. "Christine, I…" he began only to stop as words failed him.

Christine looked up into his anxious eyes and wished that she could turn back to a time when there was only love between them.

Erik looked into her sorrow-filled eyes and slowly leaned down to take her lips in a soft, lingering kiss.

Christine closed her eyes as she allowed Erik to once again claim her heart as he had so many years ago.

As Erik threaded his fingers in her hair, Christine leaned into his hard body, seeking his warmth as though she had just come in from the cold.

Erik's seeking tongue played lightly against Christine's parted lips before he delved in to taste all of her sweetness. As he held her tightly against him, he knew that there would never be a woman to stir his passion as Christine. She was his one love, his very soul mate that he was destined to spend the rest of his life with.

Christine felt as if she were flying amongst the clouds as Erik kissed her with a thoroughness that was his alone. Moaning softly she met his seeking tongue with her own, savoring the sweet sensual taste that was only her Erik.

"WHERE IS MY POOKY BEAR?" a heavily accented female voice boomed throughout the mansion.

Erik silently cursed Chantelle's timing as he reluctantly released Christine from his embrace.

Christine stumbled back from Erik as she pressed a trembling fingers against her kiss-swollen lips.

"Christine, we need to have a talk," Erik began as the door was thrust open to admit an oppressive scent of strong French perfume.

"Pooky Bear," Chantelle cooed as she crossed the room. As she drew near she thrust her little black poodle towards the unprepared Christine.

Christine quickly took the wiggling little dog in her arms as she watched the petite woman throw herself into Erik's unwelcoming arms. "Why you no pick me up at airport? Why you only send car for me?" Chantelle pouted in her heavily accented English as she plastered herself well-crafted breast against Erik's arm.

Christine watched with a piercing pain in her heart. The undeniable realization that Erik had once again toyed with her emotions in his all-consuming thirst for revenge hit her with unerring precision. And stupid fool that she was, she fell unthinkingly into his arms, as though she was his very own puppet to do with as he wished. Closing her eyes against the painful sight, she lowered her head to brush her cheek gently against the soft black fur of the little dog she held.

Erik, who hadn't taken his eyes off of Christine, saw that she was fighting to retain some semblance of her composure. "Christine," he called to her softly.

Christine bit her bottom lip to try to stem the flow of ready tears that had filled her eyes. Only wanting to get away from the sight of Erik's reunion with his beautiful mistress, Christine decided to take on her role of servant. "Will you be needing anything else Mr. Dessler?" she questioned woodenly as she looked towards the ground.

Erik gave Christine a beseeching look that went unnoticed. Wanting nothing more to haul her into his protective embrace, he knew that this situation was becoming unbearable for all involved. "No, thank you Christine."" he said resignedly.

"Wait," Chantelle called out in a well practiced commanding fashion. "My little Ramón needs a walk, and get chef to make him steak. I am sure that he is hungry after long trip."

Christine turned on her heel and left as quickly as she could with little Ramon tucked under one arm. Once she reached the door, she couldn't stop herself from steeling one last glimpse of the vibrant redhead that was still cooing softly into Erik's handsome face. With a feeling of self-disgust, Christine shut the door on the sight of her once loving Erik. She shut the door on all of the beautiful memories of a past love that was now forever lost. But most of all, Christine shut the door on all the love she once held in her heart, for now there was only a cold dark emptiness.


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

**A/N Whoa, did I ever get the emails on my calling Erik Pookie Bear. I just have to post this one review that I thought was hilarious.**

**Shahna wrote…**

**This chapter is -- well -- Pooky Bear? Uh, is she referring to Erik as Pooky Bear? Now, that's a thought! At least he's not the Phantom in this story. ) I can see it now - "Angel or father? Friend or phantom? Pooky Bear?" Sorry, couldn't resist.**

**Shahna- you have made me laugh for days over that one! **

**Anyway on with the story, I hope you all like the turn at the end. Please let me know in your reviews, and if you would rather email me instead of trying to figure out how to review on this site, that would be great as well. Thanks!**

**Also, since this site doesn't have a story alert system, I will be emailing out an alert with each chapter update. So if you would like to be added to the list, please email me at – ToryD **

**Beta – MJMod (she did a fast job on her edits to stop all of the emails I got wondering why I posted a updated of Christine before EV as it was not Christine's turn, so everyone make sure to thank MJ!)**

**Erik's Vengeance **

**Chapter 11**

Erik watched Christine broodingly as she served his guests their pre-dinner drinks. He had to hand it to her, he thought to himself sullenly. For even faced with the undeniable embarrassment of servitude to her former peers, she had retained such a regal quality that transcended her current situation. What he had anticipated as her ultimate humiliation had proven to highlight her greatest strength. He watched her with a sense of pride, as she took each look of pity with a quite steady resolve.

Christine stiffened as she heard her name called out in glee by her former classmate. "Christine Daae, as I live and breath," Sissy Montague called out in an overly loud voice to ensure she captured the entire room's attention. "I had heard that your daddy had left you penniless, but to stoop to servitude. Really Christine," She said as she looked down her surgically altered nose.

"Your drink, Mrs. Montague," Christine said pointedly ignoring Sissy's embarrassing comment.

Sissy took the drink from Christine's tray with an enjoyable feeling of superiority. "What your poor mother must be going through," She said with an exaggerated sense of sadness.

"That's enough Sissy," Harold said under his breath to his malicious wife.

Christine offered Harold a grateful smile, for he was one of the few who had refrained from commenting on her dire situation this evening.

Raoul felt as if someone had hit him in the stomach when he looked up to see the woman he loved serving drinks. Seeing that she was heading back out towards the kitchen, he rushed to intercept her for a private word. "Christine," he called out softly as she walked through the open doorway towards the kitchen.

"Raoul," she responded with a slight smile.

Shaking his head in confusion, Raoul regarded her in her crisp white shirt and simple black skirt. "Are you all right?" he asked with a concerned look that touched her heart.

"I'm fine," she said as she reached out and touched his forearm.

"Christine, I want you to quit this job, I want you to come home with me," he said with a firmness that would not accept her denial.

"I can't Raoul. But you are so sweet to offer," she said softly.

Raoul ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I had heard that your father left you with nothing, if you need money Christine you know that you only have to ask and I will give it to you," he said with a truthfulness that attested to his deep feelings for her.

Lifting her hand, she caressed his cheek, wishing that she could return his feelings but knowing that she could not, due to her unexplainable love for Erik.

"Christine, please return to your duties," Erik's cold voice called out sharply as he interrupted the tender scene.

Christine dropped her hand to her side and offered Raoul an apologetic smile as she turned towards the kitchen.

"No, wait, Christine," Raoul called out abruptly. "Erik, there seems to be some sort of misunderstanding. Christine will be leaving your employment this evening," Raoul informed his host.

Erik's eyes took on a mocking look as he looked from the protective Raoul to the very nervous Christine. "Would you like to tell him or should I?" he directed his question to Christine.

Giving Erik a look of pure hatred, Christine turned and began to explain her current situation. "Raoul, you're so sweet to want to help, but I have to do this." She said with a resigned sigh.

"Christine, whatever it is, I can help," Raoul began only to be silenced by Christine's gentle touch to his lips.

"No Raoul, no one can help me," she said with a deep sadness that pulled at Raoul's vulnerable heart.

"Christine," Raoul said beseechingly as he reached out and drew her into his strong arms.

Erik felt his rage threaten to leap out of control at the sight of Christine in another man's arms. "As touching as this is, I'm afraid that my guests need attending to," he said scornfully as he shot a look of cool disdain in Christine's direction.

Closing her eyes against Erik's cool stare, Christine gently pushed Raoul away. "I'm sorry Raoul, I have to get back to work," she said as she turned and made her way back towards the kitchen.

Raoul watched with worry plainly displayed on his handsome features. Turning to Erik, he began his plea for Christine's freedom. "What hold do you have over her Dessler?" he asked with barely restrained anger.

Erik gave Raoul a hooded look as he considered his response to the other man's leading question. "Not one that you will soon break," he said with a confidence that raked against Raoul's already volatile emotions.

"Is it money, did her father leave her in your debt?" Raoul asked through his tightly clenched teeth.

"Christine is in a debt of her own making," Erik said lazily as he took in Raoul's outrage.

"Name your price Dessler," Raoul demanded in a forceful voice that had Erik smirking in amusement.

Laughing lightly to himself, Erik pondered the value of all that Christine still owed him. "Put your checkbook away Chancy, you couldn't begin to pay what she owes," he said in a bored tone. "Now if you will excuse me, I have to return to my guests," Erik said as he turned his back and walked back to towards his elegant living room.

"This isn't over Dessler!" Raoul called after Erik's retreating form.

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Christine drew in a deep breath as she balanced her heavy tray loaded with the evening's main course. _At least Raoul had the good sense to leave this disastrous night behind,_ she thought as she carefully placed the individually covered dishes in front of Erik's guests.

Erik threw back his third glass of wine as he took in the stiff posture of Christine as she served her former friends. The evening had left a decidedly bitter taste in his mouth at the cruelty she was receiving. _This is what you wanted you foolish bastard_, his inner voice reminding him of his original intent about the evening. "Fuck," he said under his breath but not quite soft enough, for he attracted a look from a disapproving Chantelle.

Chantelle could tell that something was troubling her Pookie Bear, something that she would soon set to rectify as she planned the seduction of her generous lover. Leaning over she laid her hand on his strong thigh. "Pookie Bear," she cooed up into his irritated gaze, "I missed you last night," she said as she referred to his absence in her bed.

Erik felt Chantelle's expert caress travel towards his groin as she looked at him through desire filled-eyes. _God, why couldn't this be Christine's hand_, he thought to himself as he gently removed Chantelle's hand to bring it to his lips in a false gesture of apology.

Christine had witnessed the disgusting scene as she had been placing Chantelle's entrée before her. Without looking in Erik's direction, she almost threw his plate in front of him, as she quickly exited the room.

Erik watched Christine's quickly departing form with a strange pensive look on his perfect face. _Surely she wasn't upset about Chantelle,_ he thought to himself as he motioned for a refill on his wine. Pushing the unlikely thought away, he zeroed in on the more probable reason for her ire, Chancy. He could have torn the other man apart with his bare hands when he saw him take Christine into his comforting arms. Empting his glass with one long swallow, he willed his jealousy away as he tried to block out the haunting picture within his mind.

Chantelle watched Erik as he stared after his newest staff member. _So that is what is bothering you_. _Well Pookie Bear, now that Chantelle is here you won't have time to be lusting after the help_, she thought shrewdly to herself as she pictured the long night ahead.

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"Wonderful job everyone!" Marie said in praise of the night's successful evening.

Christine sat besides Meg, as she sipped her diet soda, the only thing she had eaten or drank since the muffin earlier in the morning.

"Tomorrow morning Mr. Dessler's guests will either be playing golf, tennis, or enjoying the use of the stables," Marie said as she went over the events of the coming day. "Christine, you will report to Joseph tomorrow morning as he will need you to assist him with the stable duties.

Christine merely nodded her head at Marie's instruction. Looking at her watch, she saw that it was going on two in the morning.

"You are all dismissed, I expect for everyone to be in the kitchen at six sharp," she said as she looked directly at Christine.

The shuffling of chairs and footsteps faded into the night as much of the staff left in search of a few hours of sleep. Christine looked about the kitchen to see the stacks of dirty dishes that poor Meg had to face alone. Rolling up the sleeves to her white shirt, Christine stood and began stacking the dishes into orderly piles.

"You don't have to do that Christine," Meg said wearily as she rose to begin clearing the table before her.

"If we work together it will only take about an hour, so do you want to wash or dry?" Christine said with an encouraging smile.

Meg felt a renewed sense of energy as she chose the washing duty.

As they worked in companionable silence, Christine reflected on the events of the evening. Erik had done his best to humiliate her, but to her surprise, the crass people she had once thought of as friends did not at all embarrass her. Save the one exception of Raoul, she now knew that it was these people who were the truly poor in the world, for they equated their self worth with the amount of money that they had accumulated. But as she was coming to realize through Erik's ruthless revenge, she was made of much stronger character than she could have ever imagined. She would survive this. She would come out whole. And once her four years were up, she would walk out without a second thought on the man she had come to hate in the space of a few short weeks.

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Erik settled back in his study as he watched the clock tick away the wee hours of the morning. He had taken refuge from Chantelle's sexual advances explaining that he had an important overseas call to make. She was more than a little put out with his neglect of her. "Fucking hell," he muttered to himself, he had better decide if he wanted to keep her on as his mistress or if he should end their relationship this weekend. Christine was the cause of all this upheaval in his normally orderly life. He never once had any feelings of guilt over bedding his mistress, yet with Christine very presence on his estate, he felt as if he was betraying her in an unforgivable fashion if he so much as kissed Chantelle.

"This is what you wanted," he said, as he held up his half-filled glass of scotch to himself in a mocking toast.

Marie knocked softly on Erik's study door before she pushed it open. "Do you need anything else Erik?" she asked tiredly.

"No, get some rest Marie, I fear that we have a long weekend ahead," Erik replied with a deep sigh.

"All right, I'll wish you a good night then," Marie said as she moved to close the door.

"Marie," Erik called after her.

Turning back to her boss Marie gave him a questioning look.

"Has Christine retired for the evening?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.

Marie hid her reaction to Erik's telling question. "No, as a matter of fact, she is helping Meg with the dishes." She informed her curious employer. "Turns out that Christine may just be the best worker you have ever hired for the estate," Marie said with a slight smile on her wrinkled face.

Erik couldn't help the swell of pride he felt at the news of Christine's hard won praise from Marie. "I…" Erik's voice trailed off as he lost his courage to voice his concerns for Christine.

Marie walked into the room and took a seat opposite Erik's. "Erik, I think that it is time for you to face the consequences to what you are doing to this poor woman," Marie said without any preamble.

Erik looked up sharply at Marie, who had never once questioned any of his past actions. "Poor woman, Marie!" he said as he rose to begin pacing the length of his study. "That poor woman as you termed her was responsible for sending me to prison for four long years!" he all but yelled at his mother's oldest friend.

"Are you sure Erik," Marie said with a calmness that riveted Erik's attention.

"She signed the deposition Marie, that alone was the one thing that convicted me of statutory rape." He said in a hollow tone.

"Erik," Marie said in a motherly tone. "She was seventeen at the time, under the direct influence of her heavily handed father. Have you even asked for her side of the story?" Marie inquired in a reasonable tone.

Erik sank down into his chair as he considered Marie's points. _She had professed to love him with all of her heart, how could she do that and still have signed the deposition that sealed his fate for four long years? _His mind questioned him painfully. Yet Marie did have a valid point, he hadn't taken the time to hear her side of the story, what if it was under her father's pressure that she signed the documents. What if she truly did love him but was unable to stand up to her abusive father. His mind was riddled with unanswered questions. Looking up into Marie's wise eyes, he asked for her help. "What do I do now?" he asked in a defeated tone that pulled at Marie's breaking heart.

"You talk to her Erik," she replied simply. "Not with anger or accusation, just talk to her with the love you still feel for her."

Nodding his head, Erik knew that she was right; it was long past time for him and Christine to talk, it was long past time for the truth.

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Christine ascended the wooden stairs to her room, with heavy-footed steps. Noticing that once again her lamp was already lit, she wondered whom she would find on the other side; the perverted Joseph, or the revenge seeking Erik.

Erik waited with his heart threatening to beat out of his chest, as the next few minutes would prove to be the most critical of his life. As Christine entered the room, he looked at her with such an intense longing that it actually caused a physical pain within his tense frame. "Christine," he called out to her softly.

Hardening her heart, Christine entered the room with a resigned sigh. "Is there something you needed Erik?" she asked tiredly.

"I need to hear some answers to questions I should have asked you long ago," he said with a sad smile.

Shaking her head resignedly, Christine walked into the room and took a seat upon her cot. "I think that we are way beyond questions and answers now Erik," she said with a slight edge to her tone.

Erik crossed the room to kneel down at her feet. Taking her hands in his, he looked up into her troubled eyes. "I need to know Christine," he began as he gave her a beseeching look.

Christine drew in a shuddering breath at the emotion so evident on Erik's tense features. "What Erik? What is it that you need to know?" she asked softly.

Closing his eyes against the overwhelming emotion, he swallowed hard at the lump forming in his tight throat. "Did your father force you to sign that deposition?" he asked in a stilted manner that attested to the importance of her answer.

Jumping up in alarm, Christine put some much needed distance between herself and the man she loved. "What on Earth would make you ask that?" she said with a strange tone that raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

"Look at me Christine," he called out to her softly.

Christine closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to block out the look of longing Erik held in his green eyes. "I'm very tired Erik, could we perhaps discuss this tomorrow," she suggested hopefully as the promise to her dying father weighed heavily on her mind.

Erik silently crossed the small room to her side. "Look at me Christine," he demanded gently.

Opening her eyes, she saw the tortured look on his handsome face. Reaching out she touched his unmarred face with a slow, gentle caress, "Oh Erik," she said tenderly as she felt tears begin to fill her eyes.

"Christine, please just tell me that you didn't sign it of your own free will," he said brokenly as his own eyes pleaded for her answer.

Shaking her head as tears began to run unheeded down her cheeks, she drew in a shuddering breath. "Please don't ask me that," she said in an anguished whisper.

Taking her roughly by the shoulders, he gave her a small shake in frustration. "Tell me Christine! Even if you have to lie, please just tell me that you didn't sign it of your own volition," he demanded, as his very future depended on her answer.

"Oh, Erik. Please forgive me, I didn't read it, I just signed what he put in front of me, I didn't read it," she cried out in distress as she broke her word to her dead father.

Erik crushed her up in his arms as he felt the magnitude of her answer to the very center of his soul. She didn't betray him; she was just a pawn much as he was in her father's unforgivable plan. "Christine…I'm sorry. Oh God! I'm so sorry," he said into her hair as he felt tears of his own begin to fill his eyes.

"I love you Erik, for all this time I have loved you," Christine said in a tender whisper that soothed the pain of Erik's tortured past.

Drawing back from her, Erik took her beautiful face in his hands as he looked at the woman who he was destined to spend the rest of his life with. "I love you Christine, I have never stopped," he said with the truth so very evident in his love-filled eyes.

Smiling through her tears, Christine reached up and touched his lips tenderly. "What now?" she asked with an inquiring look.

"I'm not sure, but I will promise you this," he said as he placed a gentle kiss upon her parted lips. "I swear that I will spend the rest of my life making you happy Christine," he said as against her lips as he deepened the kiss.

As he lifted his head, he saw the joy within her sky blue eyes; reminding him of how she looked the first time he had ever laid eyes upon her. This was his Christine; this was his one and only love.


	12. Chapter 12

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N I hope you enjoyed the short-lived happiness while it lasted…that is all I will say. Oh but wait, this chapter is dedicated to Pertie, who has an affinity for all things taking us into the realm of the "M" rating. So here's to you Pertie!**

**Author – ToryD **

**Beta – MJMod (she really hates this Erik!)**

**I'LL KILLL HIM! THE CAD! GRR**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 12**

As the sun rose to its highest point, Erik watched as Christine slept, the peacefulness of her serene face bringing a slight frown to his lips. She could still bring him to the brink of insanity with the un-equaled passions only she could inspire. Unable to stop himself, he leaned down and kissed her parted lips softly, allowing his tongue to dart out to taste the slight discoloration that showed the evidence of his unquenchable need from the night before.

Christine moaned softly as she felt Erik's gentle waking kiss. Opening her eyes lazily, she looked up into his perfect face. Frowning she reached up and traced the cheek that used to hold the unimaginable scars of his youth. "When did you have your surgery?" she asked as he turned his head to kiss the inside of her caressing palm.

"Three years ago," he said as he pulled her tight against his chest. "It took the surgeons over two years and sixteen operations to achieve what you see here today."

Resting her cheek upon his muscular chest, she looked up at the green eyes she had fallen in love with all those years ago. "It must have been incredibly painful," she said as she leaned up to kiss his smooth cheek.

Erik shrugged as he caught up her chin in his hand to bring her lips in for a deep passionate kiss as he tried to force down his vengeful thoughts against her and her family.

Christine closed her eyes as she gave herself up to Erik's experienced kiss. God how she had missed his touch, his passionate skill had only been perfected over their long years apart. She felt Erik's tongue tease playfully at her bottom lip as she moaned in exquisite pleasure. "Erik," she sighed in contentment as she looked up at him through half-closed desired filled eyes.

Something snapped his control as he looked into her deceitful eyes as they called out to him like a dark siren from the sea. He roughly reversed their positions as he took complete control. "God, I want you!" his self-loathing plea was wrenched from him as though there was some small part of him that hated himself for his undeniable weakness for her.

Christine drew in a shocked breath at the intense look in Erik's green eyes. He looked as though he hated her for his untamed desire. "Erik?" she questioned with a concerned look as she reached up to smooth away the frown marring his forehead.

Unable to stop himself he took her tender mouth in a punishing kiss, his insistent tongue gaining a quick entrance to assault the inner recesses of her mouth.

Moaning softly at Erik's painful kiss, Christine tried to gentle his punishing tongue as she slid hers lightly along the length of his; which only seemed to intensify his need to inflict pain on her with his assault.

Erik abruptly ended the intimate kiss as though he didn't want her attempt at gentleness to veer him off his chosen course of revenge. Reaching under her with his right arm, he lifted her up so that her back arched seductively granting his eagerly awaiting lips easy access to her tempting breasts.

Christine drew in a shocked breath as she felt Erik begin place hot opened mouth kisses upon her breast, his unshaven face offering a sharp contrast to his wet licking tongue. "Erik," she moaned in her bliss.

With his free hand, Erik began to roll the pink tipped nipple between his thumb and forefinger, eliciting a moan of almost unbearable pleasure from Christine's parted lips.

With her hands upon Erik's strong back, she began to trace a lazy pattern as she reveled in Erik's sensual assault upon her body.

Erik replaced his fingers with his seeking lips and tongue as he lavished his expert ministrations upon the erect tip of Christine's breasts with all of his pent up passions.

With her head turning from side to side, Christine felt herself in the throes of unbearable pleasure as Erik trailed his fingers lightly down the flat surface of her taut stomach to seek refuge in her most intimate of places.

Through heavy-lidded eyes, Erik watched the passion play across Christine's features, secretly reveling in the fact that it was he who had brought about so much of her pleasure.

Christine dug her fingernails into Erik's sweat slickened back, as she felt his exploring fingers begin to lightly caress her. "Erik…please…I" her excited cries of pleasure only enticed Erik into continuing with his slow sensual attack.

Dipping two of his fingers into the very center of her, he began to initiate a rhythm designed to send her over the edge of her tightly held control. As he watched the pleasure alight on her face, he felt an overwhelming need to punish her for her past sins. Quickly withdrawing his fingers, he moved up over her and spread her thighs wide as he entered her with one powerful thrust.

Christine eyes flew open as she stared directly into Erik's accusatory eyes; he filled her with such an utter completeness that she was sure she would never be the same. Her heart contracted in pain as she realized what was driving him on in his almost painful lust. He still held her responsible for all of the hell of his past, though he had vowed his love for her only a few short hours ago, he still was unable to forgive her for all the wrongs that had befallen him due to his love for her. "Erik," she said softly as she looked up at him with tears awash in her eyes.

Unable to stand the look of hurt in her eyes, Erik looked away as he began to thrust into her with a forcefulness he could not control.

Christine cursed her body for responding to Erik's as she gave herself up completely to him. Lifting her own hips, she matched him thrust for thrust in an effort to reach the pinnacle that promised a release of all the pent up desire and passion that threatened to overwhelm them both.

Erik failed to control his all-encompassing anger as he watched the woman he loved give herself over to her uncontrollable passion. He watched her soar within the throes of her climax as a vicious rage filled him, threatening to engulf him into his own private hell. Felling her inner muscles contracting tightly around him, he grasped her hips tightly as he began to pound into her with a relentless force as he tried to out run the demons that threatened to steal his sanity in the arms of this woman whom he both loved and hated.

Christine watched as Erik strove to reach his own climax as he battled his unresolved anger towards her. Feeling him tense above her, she watched in awe as his face clenched in a show of unbearable sensation as he spilled himself into the very core of her.

Erik lay heavily upon her as he sought to catch his breath. As he came back to the cold hard reality of his situation, he wondered if he could ever get past his unquenchable thirst to punish Christine, for he knew that if he could not get beyond his hunger for revenge, there would be no future for either of them. Rolling off her sated body, he quickly got to his feet and started towards his bathroom in an effort to put some much-needed distance between them. "I'm going to grab a shower," he said as he reached the doorway. Without bothering to turn and face her, he instructed her to her duties of the day. "You should go and get cleaned up and report to Marie, I'm sure that she will need you to assist her with my guests."

Christine's features took on a look of utter betrayal at his cruel comments, for in those coldly delivered words, she knew with all certainty that he had not forgiven her, nor could he ever. Hearing the water from his shower, Christine wiped away her tears as she bounded off the bed to retrieve her clothes that littered to floor. Once she was dressed, she felt her own anger that she had banked down over the last few weeks begin to seep through her carefully constructed walls. Walking purposely into the bathroom, Christine reached out and flushed the toilet, turning towards the glass-enclosed shower as she awaited Erik's response with her arms crossed defiantly across her chest.

"FUCKING HELL!" Erik yelled as he quickly jumped back to avoid the cascade of scalding hot water. Opening the door, he glared at a fully dressed Christine. "What in hell are you doing?" he questioned as he grabbed a towel.

Christine couldn't help but admire the strong muscular physique of his naked body as he dried himself before her, for he simply took her breath away with his sheer perfection. Mentally kicking herself for her weakness, she firmed up her resolve for her confrontation. "I want to know what it is exactly you expect from me," she said as her eyes speared him with her unrelenting stare.

"I want you to get back to work," he said in an irritated tone that only served to incite her anger further.

"Ah yes, work," she said in a sarcastic. "You're not going to get off that easy Erik," she said as she watched his body tense. "You owe me an explanation."

Laughing at her sense of self-righteousness, Erik turned his accusing eyes on her. "You dare to think that I owe you anything?" he said as he grabbed her shoulders and pinned her hard up against the wall.

Christine felt a ripple of fear shoot through her as she looked into Erik's irate features. "Yes!" she spat at him with vehemence, not allowing her fear to override her need for answers. "You professed to love me last night, you said that you had forgiven me," she said as felt his grip tighten painfully on her shoulders. "What has changed? What could I have possibly done to make you hate me all over again?" she asked as her eyes filled with tears.

"Do you really think that a night of your er…charms would wipe away all of your sins?" Erik sneered scathingly.

"But last night…" Christine began in a shaky tone. "Last night I explained that I didn't know what I was signing…"

With a cruel laugh, Erik interrupted her while he stared down at her with all of the hate clearly visible within his sharp green gaze, "You didn't actually believe that I would fall for your lies did you?"

"I wasn't lying!" Christine shouted into his unbelieving features. "I thought that we had settled this last night. I thought…"

"You thought what Christine? You thought that you could simply offer me your body and that I would simply forget that I had to spend four years in prison because of your lies?" he spat at her as he tried to fight the all encompassing passion that was once again threatening to overtake his control.

"No!" Christine cried out as she listened to Erik's cruel words. "You said you loved me! What changed in the course of a few short hours?" she asked in a faltering tone that almost undid Erik's steely resolve.

Erik hardened his heart to the anguished look on her beautiful face. "What's changed you ask?" he said through his clenched teeth. "Nothing has changed, nothing!" he sneered at her. "No matter how hard I try to let you go, you have a hold on me that pulls at me unmercifully. No matter how much I hate you, I can't seem to get you out of my mind," he said as he tangled his hand in the nape of her hair and tugged violently to bring her trembling lips up to his punishing mouth.

Christine's breath caught in her throat as she allowed Erik access to her mouth, his kiss was filled with his pent up anger and frustration at his uncontrollable need for her. His seeking tongue brutalized the soft tissues of her mouth, as though he was trying to permanently imprint himself upon her.

Christine emitted a soft moan of pain as she endured his painful yet passionate kiss, meeting his hard demanding tongue with her own in a lustful challenge all its own.

Erik broke off the deep demanding kiss abruptly as he trailed a line of hot kisses down her delicate neck. His unleashed desire threatening to overwhelm them both as they both sought to assuage the overpowering need for fulfillment.

Christine arched her neck in an effort to give him greater access, hating herself for her helpless reaction to him.

With his hands, Erik took hold of the front of her white-buttoned shirt and gave a violent tug in his quest to reveal Christine's perfect breasts to his heated gaze.

Drawing in a sharp breath, Christine heard the multitude of tiny buttons fly across the room as Erik ripped open her shirt. Weak with her desire, she grabbed hold of his strong shoulders in an effort to stay upright, arching herself up helplessly to his seeking hot gaze.

Quickly dispensing with the clasp on lacy bra, Erik bent his head and feasted on her full breasts, using his teeth and tongue to lavish her with his intense need for her.

Christine's cries of pleasure radiated off the bathroom walls as Erik quickly brought her to a heightened plane of pure desire.

"Erik, I need you," she cried out as she tangled her hands in his thick wet hair.

Hearing her plea nearly undid him. His hands were shaking as he quickly unfastened her pants and roughly pushed them out of his way. Lifting her high up in his arms, he brought her down upon his throbbing erection, stilling for a moment as he battled within himself to stave off his need to spill himself into her almost instantly. After a short minute, he recovered his control and began to lift her slowly from him, almost withdrawing completely in his attempt to draw out the intenseness of their joining.

Christine closed her eyes as she let Erik lead her on his journey of sensual pleasure. The slow measured pace that he had set out in his effort to drive her mad, was more than succeeding as she moaned in ecstasy.

Christine's excited cries excited Erik to a level he had never known. The feel of her softness enclosing so completely around his seeking hardness was almost more pleasure than he could endure. Unable to sustain his control a second longer, Erik began to increase their rhythm into a frenzied state, each of them working towards the certain fulfillment that awaited them in its sensual promise.

Christine threw her head back as she reached the highest pinnacle as her climax exploded throughout her body.

Erik, feeling her clenching all around him, gave one last violent thrust as he spilled himself into her softness, hating himself for his irrepressible need for this woman he knew he could never trust.

Holding her tightly against him, Erik began to feel the full weight of their troubled relationship. His breath coming in short hard gasps; he gently disengaged himself from Christine as he lowered her gently to her feet.

Christine watched with saddened eyes as Erik withdrew from her both physically and mentally. "So I guess that just about says it all then," she said as she bent down to retrieve her discarded pants.

Tensing in response to her bleak statement, Erik reached for the robe that hung on the back of the door.

As she tucked in her ruined shirt, Christine knew that Erik was avoiding her. "Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked with a coldness that he had never heard before.

"What is it you want me to say?" he said as he gathered his courage and turned to face her.

"You can begin by telling me why you chose to lie to me last night," she said as she pinned him with her own accusing eyes.

"I don't need to explain myself to you," he said coolly as he met her irate stare with one of his own.

"You're wrong Erik, the minute you took me into your bed, you gave up your right to hide from me any longer," she said as she crossed the room to stand directly in front of him.

Shaking his head in response, he speared her with his anger. "Christine I swear if you don't leave me…" his words trailed off as Christine began to laugh at his threat.

"If I don't leave you what, Mr. All important Dessler? Will you tack on another year to my sentence? Or will you simply decide that I should spend another night in your bed as your whore? Oh wait, I know…you will throw my dying mother out on the street, yep that's more your style," She threw at him with her eyes alight with her fury.

"Christine," he said impatiently as he watched her tremble with rage.

"Just so were both on the same page, I want to know if bedding me is part of your plan of extracting revenge," she said as she tilted her head to the side as she regarded him with hate-filled eyes. "Because if it is, then I think we need to renegotiate my contract."

Erik felt his own anger rise to the surface. "And what if I said yes Christine, what would you say then," he asked brutally.

Unable to help herself she flinched at his intentional cruelty. Recovering herself, she lanced him once again with her eyes. "I'd say that with each occurrence, you should knock off three months of my sentence," she said with a spitefulness that lanced him through to his very soul.

"You overestimate your talents my dear," Erik offered to her callously as a sinister smile graced his face.

Christine had to look away as an unbearable pain took up residence in her breaking heart. "I am such a fool," she said quietly to herself as she wrapped her arms protectively around her waist in an effort to stave off the threatening nausea that Erik's cruelty initiated.

Erik frowned as he took in her shattered expression. Had she deemed to look up at that precise moment, she would have seen the love and concern he still held for her in his eyes. "Christine," he called out softly to her only to be rebuked by her next pain-filled statement.

"I was wrong when I told you that I had nothing left for you to take," she said as she as she smiled sadly to herself. "I didn't realize that you could take my self respect away, but you have Erik," she said utterly bereft of any pride as she looked up into his concerned face. "So I guess you should be quite happy with yourself, you have now achieved your greatest victory." She said with a mocking tone of congratulations.

"Christine," he began only to be interrupted by her silencing upheld hand.

"No, I think that we are way beyond words now," she said in a deadened tone that caused a chill to race down Erik's spine. "I'd prefer it if I could work out my contract out in the stables, if that would be all right," she said with a resigned tone that attested to her need to avoid any further contact with him.

Knowing that she was on the very brink of a complete and total breakdown, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Thank you for that at least," she said as she released a dejected sigh. "I'd better get changed and back to work," she said as she made her way towards the door, hardening her heart with each step that took her away from the man whom she knew that she would always love and now also, whom she would always hate.


	13. Chapter 13

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Hi everyone! I'm back tumor free and ready to get back to the Erik you all love to hate. Thanks for all for the sweet emails that ya'll sent during my recovery, they really did make my day! I have been having some trouble with writing lately and I believe it stems from having too many characters going on at the same time, so MJ has graciously agreed to take over writing The Science of Love, while I will be working solely on Erik's Vengeance until completion, then I will return to Christine. I think I can do a better job by only focusing on one story at a time, and I think that I tend to do better with darker angst type stories than my humorous attempt with the nerdy Erik. Since MJ has taken over Science and doing a fantastic job I must say, Tersichore314 has joined me as my very talented Beta. So please join me in welcoming her. And how can I ever thank MJ for her amazing work with me over the past few months. Thank you MJ, I knew that you were destined to become an amazing author in your own name, good luck on Science and all of your other future works. Now onto the story, please let me know what you think in your reviews. **

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Can you believe it! Terpsichore314 has agreed to beta for me, I am so thrilled to have such a legend on board! Thanks so much for all of your amazing insights on the story.)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 13**

Christine bit the inside of her lip, trying to stem the tide of nausea at the sight of Erik and a cooing Chantelle walking arm in arm towards the stables.

Erik sensed Christine's presence even before he saw her. "Christine," he said, his eyes alight with a condescending gleam.

"Mr. Dessler," Christine responded without looking up from her mucking.

"Pookie Bear," Chantelle chirped with a practiced pout gracing her pink lined lips. "I want to ride the white one over there."

_Good god! Pookie Bear,_ Christine thought to herself in disgust as she scooped up a hefty shovelful of horse manure, her private tribute to Chantelle's outrageous endearment.

Erik continued to watch Christine as she performed perhaps the vilest task on the estate. "Joseph," he summoned his stable manager.

Joseph emerged from his office. "Yes, Mr. Dessler?"

"If you could saddle up Whisper for Ms. Renault," he instructed his manager.

"Right away, sir," Joseph responded as he turned to do his boss's bidding.

"You are taking me to the Black and White ball next week, aren't you, Pookie Bear?" Chantelle said as she plastered her surgically enhanced breasts up against Erik's chest.

Erik was finding Chantelle's unwanted attentions quite annoying; he only wanted to be alone with Christine. "I'm not sure about my schedule; I'll have my secretary call you," he said in an uninterested tone, his eyes following Christine's movements.

Chantelle looked on with a shrewd expression on her expertly made-up face, correctly deducing that Erik was lusting after the hired help. "Oh Erik, you know that it is the biggest event of the season! You just have to take me!" she whined, the edge to her voice causing Erik to clench his teeth in frustration.

Christine was desperately trying to tune out the unwanted private conversation. She picked up the handles of her wheelbarrow and headed for the back of the stables, only to be forestalled by Erik.

"Christine, I want a word with you," he said as she attempted to move past him and his spoiled mistress.

Joseph returned with a newly saddled Whisper in tow. "Here you are, Ms. Renault." He led the horse towards the petite bottled blond.

"Pookie Bear, aren't you going riding with me?" she said with her signature pout.

Frowning at Chantelle he shook his head. "No, I have a business call in ten minutes," he lied as he looked down at her disappointed features.

Chantelle adopted a hurt look. She began to admonish Erik for his lack of attention to her. "But Pookie Bear, you haven't spent any time with me the entire weekend," she said, batting her eyelashes over her sapphire blue eyes.

"Yes, I have been busy; enjoy your ride," he said dismissively and grabbed Christine by the upper arm, pulling her towards the stable office. "Joseph, see that Ms. Renault has everything she needs," he called over his shoulder and pushed the door shut.

Christine turned and faced Erik with a blank expression.

Now that he had her alone, he honestly did not know what to do with her. Knowing that he had hurt her earlier he wanted to see if she was all right. "Christine," he began with a deep sigh, "I want to apologize for my earlier behavior." He began to pace the length of the small office. "I have no excuse for the way I treated you."

Christine remained unmoving and expressionless as she watched Erik's restlessness.

Seeing that his apology had absolutely no effect upon Christine, he ceased pacing to stand directly in front of her. "Christine, did you hear what I just said?" he demanded, his brow creasing in annoyance at her continued silence.

"Yes, I heard you, Mr. Dessler," she said with a flat tone.

Erik stared unblinkingly at her as she awaited his next move. "Will you accept my apology, Christine?" he asked her, his anger barely restrained. He was unused to such dispassionate treatment.

"No," Christine said simply as she met his green gaze head-on with her own defiant one.

Raking a hand through his thick hair, he felt his irritation reaching a new level. "What do you mean no?" he said, disbelief tainting his words.

"Just what I said; no, I do not accept your apology," she responded, her calm tone only pushing Erik further to the edge.

"Christine," he said with an exasperated sigh. "If you would just–" he began, only to be stopped by Christine's look of hatred.

"No, you don't get to stand there and try to explain yourself to me, not after all that you have done," she said, disdain dripping from every word.

"Christine," he said, his tone a warning that his patience had reached its end.

"Mr. Dessler, if you are through I need to return to my duties," she said in a maddeningly indifferent voice.

"You are not excused!" he shot at her with sparks of anger in his green eyes.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she stared up at him expectantly.

Erik inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to calm his agitated nerves. "If you would just give me a moment to explain my actions," he said in carefully measured tone.

Christine felt hysterical laughter bubbling up within her as she watched Erik try his best to handle her. "Poor Erik," she said with an amused smile on her lips. "Feeling guilty, are we?"

As he stared at her knowing expression, his anger rose even more. "I have nothing to feel guilty about."

Christine shook her head in amazement at his comment. "No, I guess you don't feel guilty, do you," she said more for her own benefit than his.

Erik watched, as Christine seemed to be in the throes of some great internal epiphany.

Lost in her thoughts, Christine failed to see the look of confusion on Erik's perfect features. _This is not the man I fell in love with,_ she thought with sudden clarity. _Not this unforgiving man who can stand in my presence and feel absolutely no guilt at his unending vengeance. Not this man, who has systematically destroyed my family. Not this hate-filled man, who now represents nothing more than an unattainable love that would forever be lost amongst pain-filled memories. _

Christine felt as if a great weight was lifted from her heart as she came to the realization that the Erik she had once loved no longer existed. She would now at last be free of his unending control, for without her heart he held no real power over her. She looked up with a sad little smile for the loss of the Erik she had fallen in love with. "I hope that once my four years are up you will be able to live with yourself, Erik," she said in an emotionless voice that sent a chill down his spine.

Erik felt his panic begin to rise as he thought of a future without Christine, a future that without her would hold only unending emptiness. Shaking off the unwelcome feeling, he adopted a carefree visage as he regarded her pitying expression. "I am quite confident, Christine, that I will be more than able to live with myself," he said smugly.

Knowing that he was probably right only furthered the pity she now held in her heart for him. "Oh Erik," she said with a resigned sigh. "I believe that you will."

Erik stiffened at the disapproval in her words. He was unable to speak as she crossed to the office door.

"I need to get back to work, unless you need something?" she inquired with a detachment that caused his heart to sink.

"No, I have nothing more," he said, staring at her intently.

"All right," she said gently and smiled sadly. "Good-bye Erik," she said with a strange finality that pierced through to his very soul.

As he watched her walk away, he felt a sharp pang as though she had somehow irrevocably shut the door on him, and she would forever be beyond his reach.

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"Christine," Michelle greeted her warmly as she walked through her mother's door.

"Hi, Michelle," Christine returned as she walked over to her sleeping mother. "How is she doing?"

"Ah honey," Michelle began with a sigh, "I'm afraid that she isn't doing as well as we'd hoped." Joining Christine at Louise's bedside, she put a comforting arm around her patient's daughter.

Christine drew in a painful breath as she started to come to grips with the prospect of losing yet another parent. "Is she in any pain?" she asked softly, the tears gathering in her eyes with her sorrow.

"Dr. James has increased her pain medication, so she mostly sleeps now," Michelle informed her quietly.

"How much longer?" Christine asked, her heart breaking.

Michelle wondered how much this poor young woman could take. "You should talk with Dr. James," she said evasively, not wanting to be the one to impart the dire news.

Christine turned and looked at her mother's nurse with a pleading expression. "Michelle… please," she said imploringly.

"I'd say about a week, maybe two," she said softly.

Nodding her head, Christine turned her attention back to her mother. _Only one more week._ Michelle's prediction reverberated inside Christine's tortured mind. Only seven more days. Seven short days in which to say good-bye to the only family she had left in this cold lonely world.

"I should have been here," Christine whispered the reprimand to herself.

"Now honey, your mother wouldn't want you to be so hard on yourself," Michelle said comfortingly.

Reaching out, she took her mother's unresisting hand in hers and brought it to her lips. "I'm here, mom, I'm here," she said softly, trying to let her mother know that she was not alone. That she would not be alone in what were to be the last days of her life.

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_Six days later_

"Why in hell wasn't I kept informed?" Erik yelled angrily at Dr. James and Maxine, the hospice's administrator.

"Mr. Dessler," Dr. James began, only to be waved off by a fuming Erik.

"What is her condition?" Erik shot heatedly at the young doctor.

"She is nearing the end; it shouldn't be more than a couple of hours now," he offered his expert opinion.

Erik felt a wave of pain hit him. "And Ms. Daae, how is she?" he asked stiltedly as he braced himself.

"She is exhausted. She hasn't left her mother's side for the last six days," Maxine informed her boss softly.

Closing his eyes, he cursed the encroaching helplessness that was assaulting him. "Make sure she and her mother have everything they need," he said tiredly.

"Yes sir," Maxine said, opening her office door to do her boss's bidding.

Dr. James also walked towards the open doorway. "I'd better go and check on Mrs. Daae's condition," he said hurriedly, wanting nothing more than to be away from his angry employer.

Erik sank into a chair, preparing to face Christine's pain as if it were his very own. _What hell she must be going through_, he thought bitterly, reminding himself of his part in all of her pain. "Christine, forgive me," he whispered in a broken voice of deep regret.

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Christine watched with saddened eyes as her mother began to fade from this life. She looked up to see the ever faithful Michelle as she took her mother's weakening pulse. Christine was grateful that her mother's long-time nurse had been in constant attendance for the last forty-three hours, fearing leaving for even an instant in case Louise should need her in her last hours.

Dr. James entered the room with a chart in his hands. "Ms. Daae, Michelle," he greeted as he approached Louise's bed. Opening the chart he noted that his patient's vital signs were beginning to show the telltale signs of coming death. He felt sympathy for his patient's daughter. From the gossip he had heard around the hospice, he knew that the beautiful young woman who had taken up a unending vigil at her mother's bedside had suffered her father's accidental shooting just a few short weeks ago. _And now she is facing the death of her other parent_, he thought to himself grimly. Reaching out, he adjusted the drip on Louise's pain medication IV. "Ms. Daae, it shouldn't be too much longer," he said, his voice compassionate in the attempt to ease the unwelcome news.

Nodding her head, Christine reached out and took her mother's hand within hers. "Thank you, Dr. James," she responded without taking her eyes from the inert form of her mother.

Walking towards the nurse, he began to talk softly so that Christine would not hear. "Michelle, call me when…" he stopped at Michelle's nod. With the instinctive knowledge of a long-time hospice nurse, Michelle anticipated that he was requesting a call when the time came to pronounce his patient's time of death.

"Yes doctor," Michelle said quietly in response.

Dr. James inclined his head and exited the room.

Christine felt the tears that she had been battling for the past few hours fill her eyes. Laying her head down on her mother's bed, she cried for all of the pain of the last month. She cried for her father, she cried for her poor mother who would soon be joining her beloved Charles. And sadly, she cried for herself, as she would now and always be alone.

Louise began to stir as she heard her daughter's crying. "Christine?" she whispered as she opened her eyes for the first time in three days.

Christine raised her shocked eyes to her mother's face. "Mom?" she said in an astonished tone.

"My Christine, my beautiful girl," Louise said, a clarity in her voice that had not been heard for the past few weeks. "Listen to me, my Christine," she said as she reached up with surprising vigor to brush away an errant curl from her daughter's face. "I want you to know how much I love you," she said, unmistakable pride filling her voice.

A feeling of peace washed over Christine as she looked into her mother's loving eyes. "I love you, mom," she whispered softly.

Louise smiled up at her daughter. "Everything is going to be all right, Christine, you remember that. You are going to be okay," she said with a conviction that caused Christine to frown in confusion.

"Mom?" Christine saw her mother's eyes begin to close.

Louise merely smiled peacefully at her daughter, death closing her eyes a final time.

Michelle reached out and placed her stethoscope against Louise's unmoving chest. Not hearing a heartbeat, Michelle battled with her own tears at losing the patient she had cared for for so long. "Christine," she said sadly, as she looked down at her patient's daughter.

Christine looked up into the sympathetic eyes of Michelle and nodded that she understood what was unspoken within the room.

"I'll give you a few minutes alone before I call Dr. James," she said gently as she walked towards the door.

Christine held onto her mother's hand as she felt an overwhelming pain enclosing her. After several minutes, Christine rose from her chair, leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek. "I love you mom," she said with tears in her eyes. After one last look, she released her mother's hand and turned to walk out of her mother's room to face the world alone.


	14. Chapter 14

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Wow, thanks for all of your amazing reviews! Yep I'd have to agree with most of ya'll, Pookie Bear has really gotten himself into a pickle that is going to be difficult to get out of. I think that every author has a point in all of their stories that they just can't wait to get to. Well this is the part that I have been waiting for on this story, I don't think that this will be to big of a surprise, but it is setting in motion what I hope will be a surprising ride. And we are about to pass the 100 review mark! I don't know why but it seems as though I am losing readers, so I am thrilled to at least see a three-digit number on this story. **

**Round Robin update. The second round robin is underway with the penname of Round Robins and the title of Mask Behind The Mask. I have chapter two that I am working on and as it is a period piece, I am a bit nervous. So please leave me a kind review on it, I should have my chapter up sometime this weekend. KayBlueEyes has posted a fantastic chapter one. **

_**Special Note to Mini Nicka I just want you to know that I have been praying for you and your family. I know that it is almost impossible to believe at this moment, but time will lessen your pain. **_

_**"The guardian angels of life sometimes fly so high as to be beyond our sight, but they are always looking down upon us."**_** -Jean Paul Richter**

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Thank you Terpsichore314, you make me sound so much better than I am!)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 14**

_One month later_

Erik stood at his second floor study window, staring down at Christine as she walked his large black stallion around the fenced paddock. "What a fucking mess," he said dejectedly, needing to turn away from the evidence of his ill-fated plan, the very sight was unbearable to him. Settling himself into his leather chair, he wondered how in hell he would ever reach out to her again. After her mother's death, Christine had withdrawn into herself, refusing to even acknowledge his presence, except to the extent that he was her employer. Her cold, unemotional façade served to punish him far deeper than the four years of hell that he endured in prison at the hands of her betrayal. Her unwavering indifference was piercing a vast empty hole in his heart which he knew would never be repaired.

Marie balanced the tray holding Erik's breakfast on one hand while she knocked on his study door lightly with the other. Hearing Erik bidding her enter, she turned the knob and opened the door, secretly hoping that today would be the day she would tempt her boss into eating. "Good morning Erik," she sang out cheerfully, placing the tray on his desk.

"Good morning Marie," he responded hollowly to her greeting, in much the same way of the past month.

Sighing deeply, Marie began to set his breakfast before him. "Erik, now I want you to eat all of this. Between you and Christine I am going to start thinking that my cooking is not as good as it used to be," she said teasingly, hoping to elicit some reaction from him.

Erik stiffened at the mention of Christine's name. "Is Christine not eating?" he asked, an anxious look intensifying his already haggard face.

Silently cursing herself for her slipup, Marie patted Erik's shoulder consolingly. "No, Erik, she, like you, is not eating properly. But with all that she had been through it is no wonder she is not herself," she informed her boss gently.

Feeling yet another ominous weight settle about his shoulders, Erik bowed his head in defeat. "What have I done?" the question, torn from him in anguish, caused Marie's heart to stop in a painful jolt.

"Erik," Marie called softly, kneeling by his side. "For your own sake, as well as for Christine, will you please listen to me?" she asked, a saddened expression on her wrinkled face.

Unable to speak, Erik merely nodded his head in acquiescence, wanting only for his pain to end.

Drawing in a deep breath, Marie tried to reach through to the Erik that she knew still existed only to love Christine. "It is time for you to let her go," she whispered gently. "She has been punished enough."

Erik sat in unmoving silence as the truth of Marie's words reverberated within his tormented mind. Tears of regret filled his eyes because he knew that to let Christine go would mean an end of his very existence. Without her holding some place within his life, the world would have nothing to offer him. Though his heart was breaking for all that she had suffered at his hands, life without her would be no life at all, so he resigned himself to the feelings of guilt and remorse that plagued him now and would for the rest of his days. After a long moment, Erik lifted his head and looked into Marie's concerned gaze. "I can't let her go." There was an unerring certainty to his softly spoken words.

Marie, seeing the unbearable pain clearly reflected in Erik's eyes, reached out and took one of his strong hands in hers. "Oh Erik, don't you see," she said in a pleading tone, beseeching him with her eyes. "By keeping her here, you are not only destroying Christine but yourself as well."

Erik stared unblinkingly at his mother's old friend, feeling as if it were his own mother who was speaking to him. "It's too late," he said with a rueful smile on his face. "I am the like the horrid little boy who has torn off a butterfly's wings to make it suffer. Christine is already destroyed and now I must face up to the consequences of my actions and watch over her without ever having her love again."

Grasping his hand tightly, she once again tried to reason with him. "Erik, you must let her go, she is withering away before my very eyes. To keep her here will surely only bring about more pain and misery." Marie watched in silence as Erik struggled within himself.

Closing his eyes tightly, he tried to summon an unknown courage to face a life without Christine. A life filled with only loneliness and pain. A life left unlived. Lifting his head, he looked into Marie's kind, pleading eyes. "I can't let her go," he said simply, a single tear escaping his remorseful eyes to trail down his perfect cheek.

Marie gasped softly at the utter look of hopelessness on his face, feeling his pain as if it were a tangible entity. "Then I am sorry for you Erik," she said with a hint of disappointment in her voice as she pictured the future filled with only pain and unhappiness.

Erik hung his head in shame, for he knew that Marie was right. He should let Christine go to live a life free of his vengeance. Yet his heart rebelled the idea, knowing that he could not survive without his Christine.

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Christine held tightly to the fenced paddock in an attempt to stay upright as a wave of sudden dizziness washed over her. She drew in several slow deep breaths to try to calm her queasy stomach in an effort to forestall the reappearance of the little of Marie's expertly prepared breakfast she had forced herself to eat this morning. Feeling her balance begin to return to normal, she wondered what bug she could have caught to cause her to become so ill over the last few weeks. "Probably some parasite living in the stables," she said sarcastically under her breath to herself as she once again took up the reins to Erik's prized stallion. "Come on boy," she called to the large horse as she led him back towards the stables, shivering slightly at the crisp, cold October wind. Once she had Diablo securely back in his stall, she walked over to her supervisor. "Joseph," she called out to her pervert of a boss.

Smiling, his customary leering gaze in accompaniment, he rose from behind his desk to approach his beautiful subordinate. "Did you need something, Christine?" he asked, looking her up and down suggestively.

Trying to hide her shudder of revulsion, Christine knew that if she wanted to get the rest of the day off, she needed to be civil to her disgusting boss. "I'm not feeling well. I was hoping that I could take the afternoon to go and see my doctor?"

Joseph frowned as he thought of the leaves littering the paddock that needed to be raked before the start of the weekend. "What about your work?" he asked her with an accusatory stare.

Christine wanted nothing more than to kick in his yellow teeth, but she held herself back and decided to play to his almost non-existent sympathies. "I know that we have a lot of work to get done by Friday, but if I don't get some antibiotics to fight off this virus I just know that I am going to end up infecting you and the rest of the staff," she said as she schooled her innocent features into a slightly guilty look.

Joseph took a step back as he considered her contagiousness. "Uh, you had better go now," he said, resuming his seat behind his desk in a clumsy attempt to distance himself from the contagious Christine.

"Thank you," Christine said softly as she left the small office. Once she reached her room, she sat down on her small cot, needing to rest a moment as she battled the onset of fatigue. _God, what is happening to me?_ Reaching for her purse, she was grateful at least that Erik had signed her up on his company's insurance plan. Making her way towards the stairs, she held on tightly to the wooden rail as she carefully descended, trying to keep her balance as her vision began to swim before her. _I can't drive_, she admitted to herself as she reached the exit of the stables. Seeing Meg leaving the house she called to her. "Meg!"

Meg smiled as she walked towards Christine. Her smile quickly faded as she took in her friend's paleness. "God! You look awful!" Meg said tactlessly before she could stop her wayward tongue.

Christine smiled slightly at Meg's look of apology. "It's okay; I know I must look a mess. Would you mind driving me into the city? I think I had better get to my doctor before I get any worse," she said with a rueful expression.

"Sure, do you have an appointment?" Meg asked as she and Christine began to walk towards the employee parking area.

"No, I didn't think to call ahead," Christine said as another wave of dizziness assaulted her.

"Christine!" Meg exclaimed in alarm as she put her arm around her sick friend to keep her from falling.

"I'm sorry," Christine said as she recovered her balance.

"Maybe I should call Mr. Dessler," Meg said as she studied Christine.

"NO!" Christine said, her frightened voice betraying her feelings towards Erik.

Meg frowned as she watched Christine's eyes fill with tears. "Okay, please don't get upset. Come on, my car is just over here."

Meg settled Christine into her small car, and as she started the car as she wondered what had happened between her boss and Christine to elicit such a terrified response. "My doctor is just up the road. Would you like to go there or do you have a particular doctor you want to see?" she asked as she turned out onto the main drive.

"No, any doctor will be fine," Christine said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the headrest.

"Then I will take you to Doctor Garcia. She is wonderful and keeps open slots for sick patients."

Smiling, Christine turned her head and looked at one of the few people who had shown her kindness in the last two months. "Thank you Meg," she said softly, conveying her gratitude for more than just the ride.

Meg felt her heart warm at Christine's words. Reaching over, she placed her hand on Christine's hand, squeezing slightly in a show of support. "You're welcome."

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"Dessler Estates," Marie answered the ringing phone as she wiped her wet hands on her apron.

John Abbot sat up in his office chair as he was finally connected with the Dessler household. "Hello, I am looking for Christine Daae," John said in a professional manner.

Frowning, Marie wondered why anyone would be contacting Christine here. "May I ask who is calling please?" she asked suspiciously.

"My name is John Abbot; I am the attorney who is handling her mother's estate."

Marie, knowing that the Daaes had only debts, thanks to Erik's ruthless revenge, decided to stall the attorney's efforts to bring Christine more bad news. "Christine is no longer at the estate," she lied convincingly.

"Oh," John said with a regretful sigh. "Do you know where I can get in contact with her? I'm afraid that it is of the utmost importance that I speak with her," John said urgently.

"No, I do not know where she is now. Perhaps you could leave me your number in case she does contact us?" Marie suggested to gather as much information for Erik as possible.

"Thank you that would be most helpful," John said gratefully. "I am a partner at Wheeler, Abbot and Tate, our number is area code 215 555-1010. If you could please let Ms. Daae know that it is imperative that I speak with her as soon as possible?"

"Of course," Marie answered as she tapped her pencil on the pad holding the number to the Daaes' attorney.

"Good-bye," John bade politely as he hung up the phone. Leaning back in his chair, he wondered how long he would have to wait to carry out his long-standing client's final wishes. "Well, Louise, I bet you hadn't counted on my having to search out your daughter in order to transfer the four million dollars you had set up in trust for her," he said, studying the latest financial statement of the secret account he had administered for Louise Daae for the last ten years. Standing, he crossed to his safe to replace the will and financial statement into a large pocket folder that also held something else within its protective folds. Something that would reveal a long awaited truth that would forever change the course of two lives.

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Christine sat patiently in the small exam room as she awaited the test results of her blood workup. Doctor Garcia was concerned that she was anemic and wanted to have the test results before she prescribed any medications. Looking at her watch, she saw that it was going on three in the afternoon, making the fifth hour of her 'quick trip' to the doctor. Biting her bottom lip worryingly, she wondered what punishment Joseph would have in store for her for being away so long. At the sound of the door opening, Christine looked up to see her doctor.

"Christine, I have your results back, and I am afraid to say that I was correct. You are quite anemic," Doctor Sylvia Garcia said as she took a seat on the small metal stool.

"Okay," Christine said in a small voice. "Is there some medication that I can take?"

Sylvia smiled at her new patient as she prepared to impart the other results her test revealed. "Yes, I will be prescribing an iron supplement along with a vitamin that you will need to take every day."

Nodding, Christine was relieved that she didn't have anything more serious. "Thank you, Doctor Garcia," she said softly.

"Christine, I have more to tell you," Sylvia said as she studied her patient. "The blood test also revealed high levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

"Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)?" Christine asked with a confused expression.

"Yes, it is the hormone that is present when one is expecting." Sylvia informed her with a bright smile. "Congratulations, Christine, you're pregnant."


	15. Chapter 15

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

_**Lots of notes, but a lot is going on!**_

**A/N Big thank you to the new reviewers on the last chapter. I was feeling a little blue about the drop in readers, but ya'll restored my faith that you are out there and reading, plus I also discovered that there are over one hundred people who are receiving alerts on this story so hopefully they are reading and just not reviewing. We have reached the halfway point in our story, woo hoo! Still a lot to happen to our ill-fated couple I'm afraid, but hey, that's what I do best! So on with the show….**

**Round Robin update. The second round robin is underway with the penname of Round Robins and the title of Mask Behind The Mask. My chapter on the story is posted and is the hottest scene that I have written to date, so if you blush easily this may not be your cup of tea, but for all of you seasoned readers this may be just up your alley!**

**Science of Love. I have had several very persistent readers who want me to continue with the nerdy Erik story I turned over to MJ a while back. I will bow to your wishes (this means you can stop emailing me now) and finish my version. Which, incidentally, will be quite different from MJ's, which she is continuing as well with my unmitigated full support. There is enough variation in the plots to make them distinctly different. My story will focus on a nerdy, unsure, bumbling Erik as he struggles to find a way to woo Christine. I will try very hard to recapture the humor that ya'll seem to like so much. It will eventually take on an "M" rating, whereas MJ is gearing hers towards a more teen rating. So please read MJ's or mine or both if you wish. I do ask that you refrain from comparing the two stories, as MJ and I will both be working hard to post something for your enjoyment.**

**Help Wanted! I am working on a Harry Potter story with my Beta ( like I need another story to write!) and I need some help from someone who is an expert in all things Harry. The story will be a love triangle involving Snape and Harry's parents before they were married. So if anyone is up to the challenge of setting me straight on Hogwarts facts, please email me. Thanks!**

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (I just love your editing bug!)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 15**

Stunned into bewildered silence, Christine sat motionless, digesting the news the doctor had just imparted. _Pregnant! _Her mind rebelled at the idea of carrying Erik's child.

Dr. Garcia was bemused at Christine's reaction. "Christine?" she called out softly in an attempt to bring her patient's attention back. When Christine failed to respond, Sylvia began to suspect that the news was not at all welcome. "Christine," she said more sharply.

Christine, finally hearing her name, looked up unseeingly at the older woman, alarm clearly visible on her pale features. "But I can't have a baby..." Christine's whispered statement was torn from her throat, with the realization that only a dark future lay ahead for her as the mother of her most hated enemy's child.

Sylvia reached out and patted Christine's knee, trying to ease some of the distress on her distraught patient's face. "I can see that this has come a quite a shock to you," she began gently, in a non-judging tone. "Christine, there are so many options open for women in today's world. Moreover, whatever decision you do make doesn't have to be made today, or even this week, for that matter. I am going to send you home with some reading material that will help you make an informed and appropriate choice that will be best suited for you."

Tears filled Christine's eyes at the doctor's statement, interpreting correctly what the good doctor was saying while she avoided voicing the heinous words. Without any thought to the consequences, she had already decided that she would have this child, no matter that it would tie her forever to the man whom she detested with her whole being. "I don't need to read anything," Christine said, her strong resolve belying her overwhelming apprehension. "I will have this baby. To do otherwise is unthinkable."

Nodding, Sylvia smiled at her patient. "All right then." Reaching into a cabinet, she pulled out a plastic bag. "Here are some of the things that will help you prepare for the birth of your baby." Dr. Garcia explained the items as she pulled them out of the bag. "…And finally, here is the essential book for any mother-to-be, What to Expect When You're Expecting," she said as she held up the book that helped countless pregnant women all over the nation.

Christine smiled slightly as she looked at all of the literature that Dr. Garcia had given to her. "Wow, it looks like I have a lot of reading ahead of me."

"Yes, your body will be going through so many changes, and you will have numerous questions that this book and your OBGYN will be able to answer," Sylvia said, and produced her prescription pad. "I am writing you two prescriptions, one for the iron supplement that we have already discussed, and the second is for your prenatal vitamins. With your anemia it is very important that you take both pills regularly."

Christine reached out and accepted the two slips of paper. "Thank you," she said quietly as she tucked them securely into her purse.

"Do you need me to recommend an OBGYN in the area?" Sylvia asked as she got to her feet.

"Yes, please."

Taking a small notepad out of her physician's white coat, she proceeded to write down the names of two local doctors. "Here are the names of two of the best OBGYNs in town," she said, holding the paper out to Christine.

Christine looked down briefly and saw two unfamiliar names. "When should I make an appointment to see Dr. Joyce?" she asked, choosing the female doctor on the short list.

"You should give them a call today. I will have my nurse Renee call ahead and let them know about your low hemoglobin count. I'm sure that they will want to get you in quickly," Dr. Garcia said, as she opened the door to the small exam room. On her way out she relayed the instructions to her nurse.

"Ms. Daae, if you will follow me," Renee said, motioning to the checkout counter.

"Yes, of course," Christine replied automatically. Turning back, she looked to the woman whose words had changed the course of her entire life just a few short moments ago. "Dr. Garcia," she called out softly, wanting to convey her gratitude for more than just the clinical services that were rendered. "Thank you, not just for…" her voice trailed off, and she found herself at a loss for words.

Smiling knowingly, Sylvia nodded her head. "You're welcome," she said simply, and Christine knew she comprehended exactly what she was trying to relay.

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_Two weeks later_

Erik stared in stony silence as Nadir updated him on the latest information on John Abbot.

"So without any leverage against him or his firm all I was able to gather that there is not any debt that he is seeking out Christine for," Nadir said as he closed the folder.

"Then why would he need to speak with her if there wasn't any money left for Louise to will out," Erik said, more to himself than to his friend and vice president.

"Perhaps it is something of a personal nature, some family photographs, or historical documents that Mrs. Daae had placed into safekeeping for her daughter," Nadir offered helpfully.

"Yes, I suppose that must be it." Erik reached for the phone and dialed the mansion. "Marie," he said curtly when she answered the phone.

Marie pursed her lips in displeasure as she registered that it was once again her boss wanting an update on Christine. "She is fine, Erik. In fact she was fine the last four times you called today," she said in a long-suffering tone that caused Erik to flush.

"Thank you, Marie, but that is not why I am calling," he said somewhat sarcastically to try to hide his overwhelming need to know every detail regarding Christine. "I want you to call the Daaes' attorney and let him know that Christine is working at the estate."

Marie's elegant eyebrows rose in surprise at Erik's uncharacteristic move to allow someone from 'outside' access to Christine. "And if he wants to come out to the estate to meet with her, what then?" she asked, already thinking ahead to the likely consequences.

"Then let him come. Nadir has already ascertained that it is not for the payment of a debt that he is seeking her out. We believe that he must want to pass some personal family items on to her," Erik predicted, leaning back in his tall leather chair, at last satisfied that he was still in control.

"Very well, I will call him now," Marie said, already hunting for the phone number of the Daaes' attorney.

"Thank you, Marie. Oh, and Nadir and I have a business dinner this evening, so I will be staying in the city this evening."

Looking over at the duck that she had been preparing for the dinner service, Marie frowned at Erik's lack of consideration. "All right," she said with a resigned sigh as she hung up the phone. Shaking her head, she wondered when they would ever have any peace again. Dialing the number on her notepad, she waited until she was put through to the man whom Erik said would bring Christine no harm.

"John Abbot," John announced as he answered his private line.

"Mr. Abbot, this is Marie Giry. I spoke with you regarding Christine Daae," Marie said by way of introduction.

John sat upright as he heard the name of the woman whom he had been searching for for the last few weeks. "Yes, Mrs. Giry! Have you heard from Ms. Daae?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes, she has returned to the estate," Marie lied smoothly.

"Wonderful. May I speak with her?" he asked as he felt relief begin to wash over him.

"She is not available at the moment but I will give her your number and have her contact you."

"Thank you. I can't tell you what a relief it is to finally have found her," John said with the satisfaction that came with a long-awaited successful outcome to a difficult challenge.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now if you will excuse me I need to attend to my duties," Marie said in her no-nonsense tone.

"Of course, thank you again, Mrs. Giry," John said as he ended the call.

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Christine leaned heavily against the shower stall as warm water cascaded over her exhausted body. _I can't keep this up_, her tired but ruthless mind pointed out. She knew that she could not go on placing herself and the baby in danger with the heavy physical labor that came with working in the stable. But the only other alternative, telling Erik, her most hated adversary, the truth, that in seven months' time she would give birth to his child, was equally unthinkable. _You have no choice_, her conscience taunted her as it had relentlessly for the past two weeks. _How would Erik react to the news of his impending fatherhood?_ she asked herself silently. He would probably take the child from her once it was born, never allowing her to be a part of her baby's life.

A shiver of fear raced through her body as she pictured her miserable future without any contact with her baby. "NO!" she cried out sharply as she smacked her palm against the cool tile of the small stall. "He will not take my baby from me," she said aloud with a steely resolve borne of her commitment to her baby. "I need to get away from here, away from Erik," she said with a deep sigh. _Oh God!_ _How can I ever escape him without any money?_ her restless mind questioned. _And what of that stupid contract!_ She reminded herself.

Recalling the tight legal language, she knew that she would have to repay Erik the expenses her mother incurred as well as a $500,000 early termination penalty if she chose to end her employment. As the possibility of coming up with that sum of money was remote, Christine had only one other option. With no money, no relatives, or even friends who would dare to make an enemy of the great Erik Dessler, she was stuck with the option of telling Erik the truth, that she was the mother of his unborn child. Drawing in a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, knowing from her reading that she needed to avoid all stress in order for her baby to develop healthily.

Turning off the water, Christine exited the cramped shower enclosure and reached for her towel. As she dried herself, she pushed all unwelcome thoughts away; wanting only to join the staff in their evening meal and then seek out her small bed to sleep, for only in sleep did she reach any level of peace. She would face her problems tomorrow. Tomorrow she would have a talk with Erik, a talk that would irrevocably alter the course of so many lives.


	16. Chapter 16

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Big happenings in this chapter! I know that I have been a little lazy in writing long chapters so this one is longer in length for all of you to enjoy. Hey don't forget the POTO Fan Fiction Weight loss challenge. I have pledged to lose twenty pounds this year, so I will post my loss for my first week on Dr. Oz's plan on the next chapter. Good luck everyone! **

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (What can I say, great job as always! I'm so lucky to have you on the ToryD team)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 16**

"Christine." Marie's call kept Christine from leaving the kitchen.

Christine turned and walked back towards the older woman. "Yes, Mrs. Giry?" her weary tone testifying to the fatigue that the long day had wrought.

Reaching into her apron pocket, Marie withdrew the note that she had been holding for far too long. "You have a message, dear. An attorney who needs to discuss something with you in regards to your mother's estate."

Frowning, Christine took the small piece of paper from Marie's outstretched hand. "Thank you," she responded automatically, her thoughts filled with confusion, as she knew that there was no 'estate' to speak of.

"His private number is on the back. He was very adamant that you should contact him immediately," Marie informed her, unable to conceal her look of curiosity.

Nodding her head, Christine wondered at the urgency of the attorney's request. "May I use the phone in your office?"

"Of course," Marie responded with a slight smile. "Christine, if you need to take some time off, Mr. Dessler has already approved any request you might have."

Stiffening at the mention of Erik's name, Christine merely nodded to acknowledge that she had heard the offer and turned to walk towards Marie's private office.

Marie shook her head sadly at the resigned expression she saw gracing Christine's pale features. _Oh Erik, what you have done to this poor woman_, Marie thought to herself. She could only hope that Erik would finally see the error of his plan.

Christine took a seat as she dialed the number to her mother's attorney, wondering if the hour was too late to disturb the man at home.

"John Abbot," the strong male voice announced from the other end of the line.

"Mr. Abbot, I'm sorry to disturb you at home," Christine began apologetically. "My name is Christine Daae; I was told you needed to contact me regarding my mother's estate?"

John smiled. Finally the message had gotten through! "Ms. Daae, I have been trying to reach you for a few weeks now," he said in a relieved tone.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. Mr. Abbot, there must be some mistake. My mother didn't have any money or property at the time of her death, and if this is in reference to a debt I'm afraid that I don't have…." Christine earnestly tried to explain.

"Ms. Daae, I can assure you that there is no mistake," John interrupted her, and then paused, not wanting to disclose too much information over the phone. "Can you meet me in my office tomorrow afternoon?" he asked. "Your mother has left some items in my care that she wanted you to have."

Christine felt relief surge through her as she imagined that her mother must have left some of her family's old papers in Mr. Abbot's possession. "Yes, all right, what time would be best?"

"Say about two o'clock?" John suggested.

"Fine, two o'clock at the downtown address?" Christine confirmed, noting the Manhattan address on the message pad.

"Yes, we are on the thirty-third floor," John informed her.

"Okay, I will see you tomorrow then," Christine said, ending the call.

"Good night, Ms. Daae."

Going back into the kitchen, Christine saw that only Meg and Marie remained. "Mrs. Giry, I have an appointment with Mr. Abbot at two o'clock tomorrow. Would it be possible for me to speak with Mr. Dessler sometime tomorrow?"

"Erik is staying in town tonight, so if it can wait until tomorrow evening?" Marie suggested as she watched Christine closely.

"Yes, that would be fine," Christine said with a forced smile. "I'd better go and check on the horses."

"Goodnight, dear," Marie said as Christine walked towards the back door.

"Goodnight, Meg," Christine called to her friend.

"Wait up, Christine," Meg said as she dried her hands on the dishtowel. "Mrs. Giry, I'll be back in a moment."

Marie nodded as she watched to two women exit the room, grateful that at least Christine seemed to have someone to talk to.

Meg fell into step next to Christine as they headed towards the stable. "Christine, this fell out of your pocket," Meg said, handing Christine a pamphlet on one of the local birthing centers.

Christine froze in horror at the sight of the pamphlet that had just revealed her secret. "Oh Meg," she said as tears began to fill her eyes.

Seeing Christine's reaction only confirmed Meg's suspicions. "Come on," Meg said firmly as she pulled Christine in the direction of her private quarters located at the back of the estate.

Once she had Christine seated with a cup of warm cider she began to question her troubled friend. "Okay, Christine, you obviously need someone to talk to and I promise that what you say to me will go no further," Meg said as she reached out and patted Christine's trembling hand.

Closing her eyes, Christine drew in a deep breath and considered the consequences of telling her friend the truth of her dire situation. She knew that by tomorrow evening, when she told Erik of his impending fatherhood, the need for secrecy would be at an end. She decided that for tonight she would accept the kindness that her friend so unselfishly was offering. "Oh Meg, I don't even know where to begin," she said with a frail smile.

Meg gave Christine's hand a tight squeeze as though she was trying to transfer some of own strength. "Just start at the beginning," she suggested coaxingly.

Christine thought back to the fateful day so many years ago. "It was fifteen years ago when I first met Erik," Christine began. "I think that I fell in love with him the very first time I laid eyes on him…."

Forty minutes later Meg sat back with a stunned expression on her face. "Oh Christine, I knew that you had lost both your parents but I had no idea the role Erik had to play," she said disbelievingly, a distressed look in her blue eyes.

"To be fair to Erik, he really had no part in their deaths," Christine said softly as she took a drink of her now-cooled cider.

"Yes, well, while you may be technically correct that still doesn't excuse his behavior!" Meg cried out as she got to her feet, her anger almost a palpable force.

Christine watched with a small smile as Meg angrily paced the small room. "No, I will have to agree with you on that count," Christine responded.

Meg stopped abruptly as she remembered Christine's pregnancy. "Oh my god! The baby is Erik's!" she cried out in an anxious tone.

"Yes," Christine sighed wearily as she watched her friend once again take a seat opposite her. "I am going to tell Erik tomorrow."

"Oh Christine," Meg said resignedly.

Knowing that Meg was feeling as helpless as she was, Christine began to set her friend's mind at ease. "It's okay, Meg. Once Erik is aware of my condition I am sure that he will ease up on some of his demands."

Meg's face took on a stony look. "I wouldn't be too sure of that, Christine," she said, the uncharacteristically hard tone at variance with her generally easygoing nature as she pictured a hugely pregnant Christine mucking out the barn.

"Well for my baby's sake I have to be sure," Christine said, a look of desperation entering her eyes.

Seeing that her friend was getting upset, Meg made a mental vow to do all in her power to ease her friend's mind. "Of course you're right; I mean, even Erik wouldn't put his own child's safety in jeopardy."

"No, even Erik wouldn't do that," Christine whispered softly as a nagging thought played mercilessly at the fringes of her mind.

"You're going to sleep here tonight," Meg said firmly as she stood to take the empty cups to her small kitchenette.

"But—" Christine began only to be silenced by Meg's upheld hand.

"No arguments! It is getting cold and the shabby hole that Erik has you in has no heat, so for your baby's sake you will be sleeping here from now on," Meg said. Her steely resolve had grateful tears filling Christine's eyes.

"Meg…I don't know what to say," Christine said haltingly.

"You don't need to say anything; now, there are nightgowns in the third drawer of the dresser so help yourself. Oh, and there is an extra toothbrush under the sink in the bathroom," Meg said as she headed towards the door. "Do you need anything? I need to get back to the dishes but I can stop off at the stables on my way back," Meg offered.

"No thanks, I think that I have all that I need," Christine said, her tone conveying the gratitude she felt for having such a giving friend.

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Marie sat back as she waited for her call to be put through.

"Marie, is everything all right with Christine?" Erik asked anxiously, as he rarely received a late call in the evening from his efficient housekeeper.

"No, Erik! She is not all right! She hasn't been all right ever since you came back into her life," Marie responded disapprovingly. "Now, she is going to seek you out tomorrow and it is long past time for you to put an end to all of this nonsense!"

Erik ran a shaking hand through his thick hair as he received the full brunt of Marie's angry tirade. "Did she say what she wanted to speak with me about?" he asked, his dejected tone almost piercing Marie's fury.

"No, but there is obviously something bothering her," Marie said with a deep sigh. "Erik, as your mother's best friend I feel that she would want me to step in and offer you the same advice she would give you if she were here today. So I am begging you to please listen to me: if you don't put things right between you and Christine you will not only destroy what little is left of her but you will destroy yourself as well. You must let this vendetta go, if not for her sake then for your own," Marie pleaded.

The cold harsh truth of Marie's words were like a strong punch in Erik's stomach. Knowing that he had more than punished Christine for her past sins, he relented and vowed to set aside his plan of vengeance. "All right Marie, I will end it tomorrow," feeling strangely relieved by his acquiescence.

Marie leaned into her chair with the satisfaction of finally having achieved the much-needed peace for her best friend's son. "Erik, it is the right thing to do. You must find it in your heart to forgive her," Marie said with the wisdom that only comes from experience.

"I will, Marie," Erik said as if he was just coming to realize what a waste his life had been over the last fourteen years. "Have her come into the office tomorrow," he said, his nervousness belied by his confident tone.

"She has an appointment with her mother's attorney at two. I'll tell her to meet you at your office at one," Marie suggested helpfully.

"Fine, one then," Erik said, dread in his tone at the significance of the upcoming meeting.

"Erik," Marie said soothingly, "tell her what's in your heart; I believe that you will find that she may feel the same."

Erik swallowed hard at the thought of baring his soul to Christine, the woman whom he had both loved and hated for so many years. How ashamed he was of his past indefensible actions that had come to such a horrible conclusion. All of his careful plotting, his tireless planning and execution had only brought about more pain and heartache. And in the end, there was only Christine, the one and only love of his life. With a clarity that had failed him all of his hate-filled years, he vowed to move heaven and earth to gain her forgiveness. For only with her love would he truly be able to live with himself.

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Christine shifted her feet nervously as she awaited entrance into Erik's office. _Oh God!_ she thought to herself apprehensively as she wondered what Erik's reaction would be to the news of her pregnancy. Allowing herself a short humorless laugh, she imagined that he would question the validity of his being her baby's father. No, he would know that he was the only possible father as he had kept her locked tightly away from all others for the past two months.

Claudia opened Erik's door and called for Christine. "Ms. Daae, Mr. Dessler will see you now," she said with a professional smile.

Christine started as she was pulled from her nervous thoughts. "Thank you," she said politely as she made her way towards the double hand carved mahogany doors that separated her from Erik. As she entered the office, her eyes were riveted to Erik's tense form as he stood looking out at the impressive Manhattan view. Even after all he had done to her and her family she still found that just being in his presence took her breath away.

Hearing the door close softly behind his assistant, Erik gathered his courage and turned to face the most important moment of his life. "Christine, would you like something to drink?" he asked as he crossed to the small bar in his office, too afraid to look up at her beauty because he knew he would fall to his knees and beg her forgiveness.

Christine frowned at the unexpected kindness offered to her. "May I have a glass of water?" she asked as she felt the need to wash away the lump that had taken up residence in her throat.

Erik poured her an icy glass of bottled water as he tried to calm his tattered nerves. "Marie tells me that you haven't been feeling well?" he said as he handed her the glass of water.

Christine reached for the glass, drawing in a sharp breath as her fingers accidentally came into contact with Erik's. Quickly breaking the contact, she crossed the room to put some much-needed distance between them, finding his nearness disconcerting. "I'm fine," she said in a dismissive tone, failing to see the deep concern etched in Erik's green gaze.

After an awkward pause, Christine turned and faced Erik. "I'm sorry to have to disturb you at work, but I have something that I must discuss with you," she said in a rush of words so that she would not lose her resolve to tell him the truth of her visit.

"Christine," Erik said with a deep sigh. "You are always welcome here; please don't ever feel that you are ever interrupting my day."

Christine looked up in surprise at the strange welcoming tone Erik was using on her.

Seeing that he had shocked her with his uncharacteristic kindness, he motioned to the leather couch. "Please let's sit down and talk, I have been wanting to…" his voice trailed off uncertainly. He found he could not find the words to convey his need to end his ruthless vengeance.

Christine crossed to take a seat and watched with apprehension as Erik took a seat close to her own. _Please God, give me the courage to tell him the truth_, Christine prayed silently. "Erik," Christine began, only to be interrupted by Erik's fingertips on her lips.

Erik looked lovingly into her eyes. "I need to say something to you," Erik began, trembling at the thought of her rejection. "I need to explain to you some things that happened to me in prison, and then maybe you can understand why…."

Christine watched in awe as the Erik she had known so many years ago began to break through the hardened shell of the man before her. "Erik," she whispered as she reached out and caressed his once scarred cheek.

Erik closed his eyes and savored her soft touch. _God how I love this woman. Please let me make it up to her; please free my black heart to just love her,_ his mind called out wrenchingly. Opening his eyes, he saw that she was equally affected by magnitude of their feelings. Taking her beautiful face in his hands, he leaned down and joined his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

Christine felt her heart soar at the feel of Erik's soft lips upon hers. _I love you Erik_, her soul cried as she gave herself up to his kiss.

Feeling her instant response, Erik pulled her to him and deepened the kiss, his seeking tongue taking possession of her mouth as though she was the very air he breathed.

Christine met Erik's passion with a desire of her own; her own tongue playing a seductive dance along with his as she once again gave him her heart.

"Pookie Bear!" a loud, heavily accented female voice broke through the closed door.

"Ms. Renault! Mr. Dessler is in a meeting!" Claudia's anxious voice could be heard just a short moment before the door was thrust open to admit the oppressive scent of Chantelle's French perfume followed by the woman herself.

Erik stood with a look of rage upon his perfect face. "Chantelle, I am in a meeting!" his voice boomed out in a sinister tone.

Christine quickly averted her gaze as she took a moment to recover herself from Erik's passionate kiss.

"Pookie Bear! I need to see you right now, you would not believe the day I have had," she cooed as she launched herself into Erik's unwelcoming arms.

Christine stood on shaking legs as she made her way to the door, cursing herself for her moment of weakness. Hadn't she already been taken in once before by Erik's seduction only to be thrown away like yesterday's garbage. _You're so stupid, Christine_! she railed against herself silently.

Erik pushed Chantelle away as he quickly crossed the room to block Christine's hasty exit. "No, wait, let me get rid of Chantelle so we can finish our talk," Erik said, his urgent tone matched by the desperation in his haunted eyes.

"No, I will see you later this evening," Christine said as she looked towards the floor, knowing that she would fall victim once again if she looked upon his handsome face.

Aware that he could not have the time he needed with Christine while Chantelle was present, Erik relented and vowed that by this evening's end, all would be said and settled between him and the woman he loved. "All right," Erik said with a frustrated sigh. "This evening, Christine," he said as he reached out and lifted her chin to look into her pale features.

Christine nodded in agreement as she looked into his pleading eyes. "I'll see you later then," she whispered hesitantly.

"Count on it," Erik said decisively as he watched her leave his office. Once she was no longer in his sight, he turned to his former mistress, his immense irritation clearly visible on his face.

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"What a fool you are Christine!" Christine said under her breath as she made her way towards the building that housed her mother's lawyer. Would she never learn? she questioned herself as entered the elevator and pushed the thirty-third floor button. Once she reached the offices of Wheeler, Abbot and Tate, she pushed open the impressive glass doors and entered the plush offices. "I am here for a two o'clock with Mr. Abbot," Christine informed the elegant receptionist.

"Ms. Daae?" the receptionist, Monique, queried.

"Yes," Christine responded with a smile.

"Mr. Abbot requested that I show you to his office immediately upon your arrival," Monique said as she rose from her chair. "This way," she said as she indicated the glass-enclosed doors to their left.

Christine followed the tall, impressively dressed woman down a long quiet hallway.

Knocking lightly, Monique announced Christine's arrival. "Mr. Abbot, Ms. Daae is here for your appointment," she said as she held the door open for Christine to enter.

John rose from his tall leather chair to greet the daughter of his former long-time client. "Christine - you don't mind if I call you Christine, do you?" John asked as he held out his hand in greeting.

Christine took his offered hand and smiled in response to his welcoming. "No, of course not," Christine replied as she took the seat he indicated with a gentle wave of his hand.

"I'm sure you are wondering why I have called you here today," John began as he withdrew a folder from his right desk drawer.

"I have to admit I am a little curious. I can only assume that my mother left some of my family's personal items in your care?" Christine said as she watched Mr. Abbot open the thick folder.

"Christine," John began, his wrinkled features set in a kind expression. "Your mother was a shrewd woman, she loved your father immensely. But with that love came acceptance of his faults as well. So, unbeknownst to your father, your mother set up a trust fund for you that upon her death would be passed on to you."

Christine stared in shocked silence as John related her mother's secret. "I don't understand. If there was some money set aside, why didn't Erik Dessler find it?" Christine said, more to herself than to her mother's attorney.

John, knowing the disturbing story of VIM's ruthless destruction of the Daae family fortune and estate, smiled sadly at Christine. "Even if Dessler had known about the trust he would not have been able to get his hands upon it. Your mother was very adamant that this money be well protected from anyone other than yourself."

Christine felt tears fill her eyes at the thought of her mother's protectiveness from her father's greed. "She was an amazing woman," Christine whispered softly.

"That she was," John said in agreement. Reaching into his folder, he withdrew the cashier's check. "I have taken the liberty of cashing out your mother's fund so that you can invest it as you wish," John informed her as he held out the check.

Christine reached out and took the offered check. Her breath froze in her lungs as she saw the amount of the check. "This is for four point two million dollars," she said in an unbelieving tone.

"Yes, your mother did well on her investments over the past few years. I will caution you to consult with your accountant, as the inheritance tax on that sum will be quite substantial," John warned knowledgeably.

Christine continued to stare at her mother's gift in shock. Four million dollars. Her mind turned over the figure in her head silently. This was the answer to all of her problems. This was her answer to all of the hurt that Erik had brought to her so ruthlessly over the last few months. Thanks to her loving mother, she was at last free. Thanks to her smart, forward-thinking mother, she and her baby had a future, a future without any further pain from the man she could now close the door on forever.


	17. Chapter 17

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Sorry for the delay, work has been very crazy with year-end and all. Well here we are, so many of you wanted poor Erik to suffer for what he has done to Christine. I hope you enjoy how the tables have turned in our story.**

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Everyone send good wishes to Terp, she has been ill this past week)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 17**

"Where to, miss?" the elderly clerk asked Christine when she reached the front of the line.

"Oh, someplace quiet, a small town in a rural area perhaps," Christine replied softly, casting a glance back over her shoulder to see if anyone was listening.

Renaldo frowned at his indecisive customer. "Miss, I will need a destination in order to process your ticket," he said, a small amount of irritation tainting his tone.

Christine offered him a small smile of apology as she looked up at the large departures and arrivals board. "Seattle," Christine said in a rush, chosing the next bus to depart the busy Chicago depot.

"Hardly a small town, miss," Renaldo replied sarcastically as he entered the information into his computer. "That will be two hundred and ten dollars."

Carefully reaching into her purse, Christine pulled out the requested fare and handed it across the counter.

"Your bus will be leaving in thirty minutes from gate fifteen," Renaldo said, taking the money and handing her the ticket. Counting out the money, he quickly made the necessary change and handed it back. "Next!"

Reaching down, Christine picked up her one bag and headed in the direction of the gates, wondering when she would at last feel free to let her guard down. God she was tired. The last five days with the constant fear of discovery had taken a toll on her already tattered nerves. _Has it really only been five days since I left New York?_ her exhausted mind questioned. Only five short days since she obtained the means to decide her and her baby's future, a future free of Erik's dark, unending revenge. Seeing an empty row of seats, Christine sank down gratefully, welcoming the short rest before her departure.

Closing her eyes, she let a small sigh of relief escape her lips as she felt the full effect of the last several days. Thankfully, she had been lucky so far, not leaving even the hint of a trail for Erik to follow. Knowing that Erik's next move would be to interrogate John Abbot, she had politely refused the use of his offered services.

The Chicago firm that she had chosen for the task of ending her relationship with Erik had proved instrumental in assisting her in obtaining a new name. Smiling to herself, she was amazed what money could do, not only was she legally free of Erik, but now she had a new identity, complete with a new social security number and driver's license. Erik, for all of his money and resources, would never be able to find her.

Her heart gave a painful twist as she envisioned Erik back in New York. He should have received the check and letter that her attorney had arranged to be delivered to the estate. _What must he think of me at this moment_? she wondered with a chill racing through her veins. For if he hated her before he would surely want to condemn her to the very depths of hell after he read her letter. She almost felt sorry for what she was doing to Erik, yet it was the only way she could protect herself and the baby. She had to make a new life, a life that would ensure that she and her baby would never again be forced to live under Erik's control.

"Bus 2318 will begin boarding in five minutes. Please make sure you have your ticket ready." The garbled announcement pulled Christine from her thoughts. Looking around the bus terminal, she was relieved to see that no one was paying her any particular attention. With a protective hand on her still-flat stomach, she stood and retrieved her bag. "Okay baby, let's go find us a home," she said softly to her baby as she made her way towards the line of her fellow passengers.

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Erik paced the length of his study as he raked a less than steady hand through his uncombed hair. "Has there been any activity on her credit cards?" he asked, his tired tone standing in evidence of his lack of sleep over the past five hellish days.

"No," Nadir answered solemnly as he watched the restless actions of his longtime friend and boss.

"Damn it, Nadir! She can't have just disappeared off the face of the earth!" Erik yelled, his immense rage a palpable force within the room. "What about the attorney she saw? What did you find out from him?"

"He's not talking; somehow Christine found the only lawyer in the city that takes the attorney-client privilege to heart," Nadir informed him with a slight twinge of irony to his words. "I am trying to dig up some information to use against him."

"Do it," Erik said flatly as he sank down into his leather chair. "I want to have some answers by the end of the day."

"Erik," Nadir began as he tried to find the words to reason with his anxious boss. "Perhaps it is time to let Christine go. She has suffered more than enough for what she has done."

A look of complete and utter shame washed over Erik's perfect face. "I wish I could let her go, Nadir," he said softly as tears began to well within his green pain-filled eyes.

"Then do, Erik!" Nadir said insistently. "If not for Christine then for your own sanity."

Erik began to laugh without any hint of humor in his tortured features. "Sanity, Nadir? Don't you know that without Christine in my life I will not be able…" Erik's voice broke with the intense emotion of his unspeakable fear. Taking a moment to gather his composure, he looked up at Nadir and spoke so softly that Nadir had to strain to hear the barely audible words. "I need her in my life. Not knowing where she is killing me," Erik said the undeniable truth of his statement written on his features.

"Erik," Nadir whispered his name in concern.

Erik stiffened at the sound of his name on his friend's lips. After a brief pause, Erik collected his emotions and once again took on his familiar cold, steely façade. "Whatever it takes, Nadir, you find her!" Erik said, his icy tone sending a chill down Nadir's spine.

Nadir rose as he regarded the hard desperation in his boss's eyes, knowing that Erik would go to hell and back in order to find Christine. "All right, Erik, I will let you know as soon as I have any new information," he said as he crossed the room to the door.

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Marie stood outside the study door as Nadir exited. "How is he?" she questioned.

"The same," Nadir answered gravely as he looked into the weary face of Erik's housekeeper. "He won't give her up. I am to continue with the search until I find her."

Marie nodded her head in sympathy. "Have you eaten today?" she asked Nadir as she took in his haggard features.

Nadir fell into step at her side. "I'll get something at the office," he said offhandedly, his mind already planning the next move in his search for Christine.

"Oh, before you go, there is a letter that Erik received by courier this morning. He said that I was to direct all business matters to your attention," Marie said as she moved towards the antique table that was placed in the grand foyer. "I was surprised that it was delivered to the house," she said as she handed the envelope to Nadir.

"Thanks, Marie," Nadir responded without showing any interest in the correspondence. "I'll give it to Erik's secretary when I get to the office."

Marie smiled up sadly at Erik's right hand man, sharing the concern that they both held for the man who they both loved. "Nadir," Marie began softly as she watched him pull open the massive hand-carved door.

Pausing in the open doorway to look back at the elegant older woman, Nadir saw that she was struggling to find words.

"I just want to say that if you don't find Christine, I don't know what will become of Erik," she predicted in a tone which held all her fears.

"I'll find her, Marie," Nadir said, trying and failing to ease both their fears with his firm tone.

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"Do you mind if we share a table?" Rose asked as she smiled down at the young woman seated alone in the crowded diner.

"Oh, please sit down," Christine said hurriedly. She looked up to see a fellow passenger who had boarded the bus somewhere in Iowa.

"Thanks. My name is Rose Cameron by the way," Rose said as she slid into the red vinyl booth.

"Hi Rose, I'm Christine D—" Christine broke off abruptly as she became aware of her unconscious flub, "Donald, Christine Donald."

"Pleased to meet you, Christine," Rose responded sincerely as she held out her hand.

Christine took the offered hand and smiled at the warm, welcoming greeting. "So what do you think we should order?"

"Well they are having a meatloaf special today," Rose said wearily as she read the hand-written chalkboard that was to their left. "But somehow I just don't think that meatloaf is good for a traveling stomach."

Laughing softly at the truth in Rose's observation, Christine looked down at the paper placemat that housed the dinner's menu. "Maybe a chef salad," Christine suggested, knowing that she would be safe with such a choice.

"Good idea," Rose said as she leaned back against the booth. "So where are you heading, Christine?"

Christine hesitated before she answered, not wanting to let too much information pass her lips. "This may come as a surprise, but I haven't really decided."

Rose's weathered face took on a pensive look as she regarded her dining partner. "So you're not going to visit family?"

"No," Christine said, staring down at her tightly clasped hands. "I lost my family recently."

Drawing in a sharp breath, Rose could see the pain that was still freshly etched upon Christine's features. "I'm so sorry, dear," she said, sincere sympathy in her kind blue eyes. "So are you just taking a trip to get away from things?"

"Not really," Christine said truthfully. "I guess you could say that I am looking for a new place to call home. I am expecting a baby this spring and I want to find a nice quiet place to raise a child."

Rose was about to speak when the harried waitress whose name plate was engraved with Selma approached their table. "Sorry about the wait, are you ready to order?" she asked as she held her pad and pencil at the ready.

"I would like the chef Salad with oil and vinegar dressing, and an iced tea," Christine responded softly.

"Make it two, except I'll have blue cheese on my salad," Rose said as she gave her order to the busy waitress.

"I'll have that out in a few minutes," Selma said as she made her way from their table to the busy kitchen area.

"I hope you don't mind my asking, Christine, but when you say you lost your family, did you mean that you have no one to help you with your baby?" Rose inquired with a look of intense concern.

Tears began to well within Christine's eyes as she felt her complete and utter aloneness in the world. "No, I lost both my parents earlier this year, as well as my husband last month," she said convincingly as she recalled the pre-arranged story her attorney had helped her contrive.

"Oh dear," Rose said gently as she began to worry for the young mother-to-be who was all alone in the world. Her mind began to whirl with possible ways that she could help. "Well, if you wouldn't mind an old lady meddling in your business, I would like to suggest my hometown of Freedom, Wyoming. It's a small town with a population of just over 10,000 so it is an ideal place to raise a family," Rose said with a look of pride on her face.

"Freedom," Christine repeated the name reverently as though she had just been given a sign from a higher power.

"I guess I should tell you that it gets pretty cold in the winter, and there is not much going on in town with the textile mill closing down last year, but Freedom is filled with good, honest, hard-working folks," Rose said with a soft expression gracing her face. "I own a rent house that has just recently been vacated, it would be perfect for you," Rose said as she started to plan Christine's life in Freedom. "And besides, I live just next door so I could look after you and the baby," Rose said hopefully.

A feeling of new hope began to spread welcoming warmth through Christine as she regarded her new friend. "I think that Freedom sounds like a perfect place," Christine said with a grateful smile.

"Good, that's settled then," Rose said firmly. "Now I can finally be the grandmother that I always wanted to be."

Christine gave a surprised laugh at the strange comment.

"You see my daughter lives in Des Moines, so I only get to see my grandbabies twice a year. That is where I am coming from, visiting with her and her family," Rose offered by way of explanation. "And then there is my son; he has yet to find a woman that suits him," Rose said with a disgusted look at the disappointment of her son's lack of marriage prospects.

Christine laughed in delight at the look of consternation on Rose's face. "So your son lives in Freedom as well?"

"Yes, he owns a cattle ranch," Rose said slowly as she regarded Christine with a fresh look of speculation in her eyes. "You know, Christine, some would consider John quite the catch," she said as she studied Christine for any sign of reaction.

Alarm shot through Christine at the look of intent clearly visible with in Rose's features. "I'm sure that your son will find someone special to share his life with," Christine said in a consoling tone that she hoped would set Rose's matchmaking ideas aside.

"Of course you're right. Who knows, someone just might fall into his path one day soon," Rose said with a bright smile of promise.

Christine looked on with a look of confusion as the waitress returned with their order, wondering what in the world she had just gotten herself into.

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Claudia knocked softly upon Nadir's office door before she entered. "I'm sorry to bother you, Nadir, but I think you need to see this," she said as she held out the envelope he had given her only a few minutes ago.

"What is it, Claudia?" Nadir asked as he took the opened envelope in his hand with a frown marring his dark brow.

"It's a check for eight hundred thousand dollars, payable to Mr. Dessler, and a letter from Ms. Daae," Claudia said as she watched Nadir pull the enclosed check and letter from the envelope.

"Damn!" Nadir cursed as he saw the large check with Christine's name noted in the memo field at the left bottom corner. Unable to help himself, he read the letter and began to pale visibly. "I'll be at the mansion if you need to reach me," he said stiltedly as he replaced the check and letter in the envelope and headed out of his office.

Claudia watched with a look of worry on her perfectly made up face, knowing that Nadir would feel the full weight of Erik's anger when he read the letter that contained the news that would change Erik's world forever.

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Marie pulled open the door to await Nadir as he pulled up the long drive.

Quickly taking the stone steps two at a time, Nadir merely nodded in Marie's direction as he entered the mansion, shivering not from the cold but from the anticipation of dread that would surely be felt in the next ten minutes. "Where is he?" he asked sharply as he clutched the envelope in his hand.

Frowning, Marie could sense the urgent tension in Nadir's tall frame. "He is still in his study," she said as she watched him turn and walk down the long hall to the left. "Nadir," she called after him sharply.

Nadir froze in his tracks but did not bother to turn around.

"What is it? What has happened?" Marie asked as a feeling of dread began to fill her.

"I guess you could say that Christine has turned the tables on Erik," he said cryptically and resumed his measured pace towards Erik's secluded study at the back of the mansion, with a concerned Marie watching his every move.

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Erik sat with a half-drunk glass of scotch within his hand as he heard the insistent knock at the study door. "Come in," he yelled in a slightly slurred tone that stood in evidence of the amount of scotch that he had consumed all afternoon.

Nadir entered the room with a feeling of trepidation. "Erik, I have something for you," he said cautiously as he walked towards Erik's rumpled form.

"What is it?" Erik asked as he raised his bloodshot eyes to his former cellmate.

"A check and letter from Christine was received today by courier," Nadir said as he held out the plain manila envelope.

Erik froze in fear as he looked at the envelope that Nadir held. "A check you said?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes, for just over eight hundred thousand dollars. Repayment for her mother's hospice care and the additional five hundred thousand penalty for ending her contract early," Nadir said quietly as he watched Erik closely.

Swallowing hard past the lump in his throat Erik continued to stare unblinkingly at the envelope. "And the letter?" he asked with a feeling of all-encompassing fear chilling his very core.

"It is from Christine," Nadir said, not willing to elaborate on the contents of such a personal letter, the likes of which he wished he had never seen.

"Read it," Erik whispered as he drained the remainder of his scotch.

"Erik, this is something that you need to read by yourself," Nadir instructed as he tried to push the opened envelope towards his broken boss.

"I said read it!" Erik yelled out forcefully as he drew back his hand and threw the hand cut crystal tumbler across the room, enjoying the sound of the resounding crash.

"Jesus, Erik!" Nadir said in a shocked tone. "This is a very personal letter that you need to read."

Erik stood up slowly and walked over to the large bar to pour himself another generous drink. "If you want to keep your job you will begin reading that letter in the next five seconds," he said so menacingly that Nadir felt as if the blood in his veins would freeze from its chilling effect.

With a heavy sigh, Nadir withdrew the letter and began to read in a voice devoid of any emotion.

_Erik,_

_By now you must have discovered that I have broken our agreement. Enclosed is a check that not only covers my mother's last expenses but the penalty that is due upon my breaching the contract that you and I had agreed upon. I trust that you will find this a satisfactory conclusion to our business arrangement. With our contract now concluded, I see no need to retain any form of contact. I have left the city and you will have to forgive me if I don't feel the need to let you know of my exact location. _

_I know that you believe that I have wronged you unjustly in the past, and perhaps you are correct in that assumption. But whatever crimes you feel that I or my family have so egregiously thrust upon you, it does not excuse the unspeakable acts that you have perpetrated in the name of your all-encompassing revenge. You have caused me to lose my home, my job and, most painful of all, my family. Yet somehow, I can forgive you each of these infractions in the name of a young sweet love that I once shared with you. What I cannot forgive is your treating me like a whore in your home. Yes Erik, I did say whore, for your complete disregard for the feelings that I held for you with your cold dismissal will be forever etched upon my heart. When you so carelessly used me, you caused me to lose the one thing that I thought no one could never take away, my self-respect, and that, my dear, sweet Erik is something that I can never forgive._

_Funny thing is that even after all that has come to pass my one wish for you is to find some peace within your life, Erik. I so want to believe that there is still some good within you, some measure of the sweet young man I fell in love with all those years ago. So I guess there is nothing left for us to say except good-bye. So good-bye my dear Erik, I hope that someday you will be able to put this dark part of you life behind you and find some small measure of happiness._

_Christine_

Nadir carefully refolded the letter and replaced it in the envelope as he watched the unnatural stillness of Erik's frame.

"Is there anything that I can get for you?" he asked softly.

Erik lifted his glass and drained the remaining strong amber liquid in one long swallow, welcoming the heat at the back of his throat. "Get out," he said so softly that Nadir barely heard the coolly delivered words.

Shaking his head sadly, Nadir turned and quietly exited the room, leaving Erik to face the unexpected results of his carefully plotted revenge.


	18. Chapter 18

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Aw, ya'll do feel sorry for poor Erik! Well most of you anyway. Ok, so let's go meet our devastatingly handsome cowboy, uh don't worry it will still be an E/C ending. Onward…**

**Author – ToryD **

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Hey a big shout out to Terp for editing this in record time, I think she is spoiling us!)**

**Erik's Vengeance **

**Chapter 18**

_One month later_

John scowled down at his mobile phone as he recognized his mother's number. Pushing the button to activate the call, he addressed his mother in his usual restrained tone. "What is it, mother?"

"Hello, dear," Rose said sweetly as she smiled across the table at Christine. "I need you to come over to fix that back window in Christine's house."

"Mother, in case you didn't notice we are about to get blasted with a massive storm," he said through tightly clenched teeth.

"Well, that is why we need the window fixed now," Rose explained in a slightly sarcastic tone which made John shake his head in exasperation.

"All right," John responded with a deep sigh. "I'll send Carlos over," he said, and motioned to one of his men.

"No!" Rose cried out quickly, seeing her carefully concocted plan begin to fall apart. "You have to come; you know that I don't like strangers in my home."

"You've known Carlos for six years!" John all but yelled.

"Boss?" Charlie said as he reined his horse to a gentle stop.

"Take Ross and Gary up to the north pasture, make sure that all the expectant heifers are transported to the barns," John instructed as he held his phone out to lessen the impact of his mother's ongoing tirade.

Charlie nodded with an amused smile as he correctly guessed that his boss was once again being waylaid by his matchmaking mother. "See ya later, boss," he said with a slight chuckle and set off again.

"…and I would think that you could show some gratitude for the thirty-six hours of labor that I went through, not to mention that you weighed a hefty ten pounds seven ounces!" Rose said emphatically as a shocked Christine looked on.

John bit his lip in order to fight the smile that was threatening at his mother's obvious attempt at manipulation. "I am eternally grateful for the incredibly painful, long arduous hours that you spent in bearing me, but as much as I am humbled by your extreme sacrifice, I just can't leave the ranch right now."

"Fine, John," Rose said with a deep sigh of disappointment. "I'm sure Christine and I will find some way to weather out the storm. Of course I was hoping we could stay here in her house since my generator went on the fritz last winter."

Tipping back his Stetson, John looked up at the darkening sky with a look of helplessness in his blue eyes. "Mother…" he began, only to be cut off abruptly by his mother's melancholy voice.

"You had best get back to your cows dear," Rose said in a resigned tone as a gleam of mischief lit her eyes. "Don't worry about us, we will just light us a big fire and hunker down with some blankets. We don't eat much so we should be okay on provisions. I'll call you as soon as the storm lets up to let you know we made it. You be careful out there dear, good-bye," Rose said woefully as she ticked off the seconds while she envisioned her oldest wrestling with the guilt she had just laid at his size 11 boots.

"Wait!" John shouted down the line as a horrendous picture of his mother and Christine starving and freezing crossed his mind. "You and Christine will have to stay at the ranch until the storm has passed. Get Christine to pack a bag and I'll be there in twenty minutes," he instructed firmly, and turned his stallion in the direction of the main house.

"But aren't you too busy, dear?" Rose couldn't help herself from asking as a smile of triumph took up residence on her wrinkled face.

"Twenty minutes, mother!" John shouted as he ended the call.

"He will be here in twenty minutes dear," she said to Christine who was still looking on with a look of pure astonishment. "Is that the only bag you will be taking?" Rose asked as she lifted the suitcase to place it by the backdoor.

"Yes, that's it," Christine said, amused, as she watched Rose bask in the glory of her perfectly implemented plan.

"I'd better call the girls and make sure they're ready," Rose said as she flipped open her cell phone to call her friends.

Christine merely shook her head and wondered if poor John had any idea what other surprises his mother had planned for him.

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"I want that contract signed by the end of the day or the buyout deal is off the table," Erik informed his second-in-command coldly.

"Erik, you can't mean that; if they don't sign then they will have to close down the plant." Nadir tried to reason with his boss.

"That is not my problem," Erik said with the uncaring tone that had become his signature over the last month.

"Listen, Erik, all they want is to negotiate a little on the offer," Nadir said calmly as he tried to hand his boss the latest counteroffer. "If you would just take a look you will see that we will still be making a substantial profit with this deal."

Erik raised an eyebrow, perfecting his look of disdain. "Perhaps you didn't hear me clearly, Nadir," he said menacingly. "The terms are final; they have until five o'clock p.m. today. Now if you will excuse me, I have a call that I need to make."

Dropping his hand in a helpless motion, Nadir continued to stare at the man who had ceased to show any emotions in the last month. Seeing that Erik was unmovable on this issue, he turned and made his way towards the door, wondering how on earth he was going to tell the owners of Robbins Manufacturing that they had only two hours to sign the deal that would only net them thirty cents on the dollar of what their company was worth. Shaking his head sadly, he knew that in the end Erik would have his deal, for it was either that or the foreclosure that would put over four thousand people out of work.

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"Thank you, dear," Rose said to her son as he loaded the suitcase into the back of his late-model truck.

"We need to get on the road, mother," John said authoritatively as he opened the passenger door for his mother.

"Yes, of course," said Rose as she complied and climbed up into the truck's cab. Turning, she looked at Christine and gave an encouraging smile. "Are you warm enough, Christine?" she asked as she buckled up her seat belt.

"Yes, I'm fine," Christine replied as the first flakes of snow begin to fall.

John settled his big frame behind the wheel and started the powerful truck. "All set?" he asked his two passengers as he began to back the truck out of the drive.

"Yes, thank you, John," Christine replied with a smile. "And thank you so much for allowing me to stay in your home; I'm afraid that I am not at all familiar with this type of storm."

"Well, I wouldn't want a tenderfoot like you to have to ride this one out on your own," John said teasingly as he tipped his hat in a solicitous gesture, earning him a grateful smile.

"Oh, we need to stop by and pick up Essie and Leona," Rose said matter-of-factly, which caused John to halt the truck abruptly.

"What did you say?" he asked in a carefully articulated tone.

"Essie and Leona dear," Rose said as she reached out and patted his knee lightly as though she was soothing a cranky child. "They are waiting for us to take them to the ranch."

"And why would they be waiting to go to the ranch?" John asked as he glared daggers at his unaffected mother.

"Because I told them that you wouldn't mind if they stay there while the storm was about," Rose said absently as she stared out the truck window. "It's really starting to come down now, John, we should get moving."

Christine watched the play between mother and son with a feeling of apprehension. She had only met John a few times in the past month, and from what she could gather, he was always in a dark mood, no doubt from his mother's devious actions.

Drawing in a deep, calming breath, John gave his mother one last glare as he put his foot to the gas to begin their short journey to Freedom's infamous Smyth sisters house.

Christine could feel John's bristling even from her position in the back seat. "Have they predicted how long the storm is to last?" she asked, hoping to ease the sudden tension.

"Should last about three days," John replied as he turned onto the town's main street.

Rose emitted an undignified "Humph!" and said, "That young meteorologist on channel seven never gets it right. My bones are telling me that this is going to last at least five days."

John allowed himself a chuckle at his mother's indignation. "I guess science holds no challenge to your bones mother," he suggested with a wide smile.

"There they are," Rose said as she pointed to her girlhood friends who stood outside with their packed suitcases.

John turned onto the drive and pulled to a slow stop. Quickly exiting the truck, he held his arms out to each of the elderly ladies.

Christine watched with a warm heart as she saw the true meaning of kindness as John assisted each of the women into the truck.

"Hello, Christine," Essie greeted warmly as she slid into the empty seat at her side.

"Hi, Ms. Essie," Christine replied with a smile.

"Hello, Rose, Christine," Leona said as she joined the other three ladies.

"Ms. Leona," Christine greeted, seeing John reluctantly pick up a small pet carrier. "Do you have a dog, Ms. Leona?"

"Oh no, Christine, that is my cat, Fluffy," Leona said, beaming. "She will be seventeen next March."

Christine frowned as she saw John carefully pick up the carrier and hold it as far away from his body as his long arm would allow. "Why is John holding it like that?" she asked as her curiosity got the better of her.

"Oh, he's had a lot of practice with Fluffy, dear," Rose informed her as John opened the back door to hand Leona her hissing cat.

"Thank you, John," Leona said as she peered into the pet carrier.

"Welcome," was John's sullen response as he shut the door and retraced his steps towards the awaiting suitcases.

"So I take it that John doesn't like cats?" Christine asked as she looked into the carrier to see the ugliest snaggletooth beast she had ever laid eyes upon.

"Oh no, John loves all animals," Rose said emphatically. "It's Fluffy that doesn't like John."

"Hates all men," Essie added as she snapped her seatbelt securely.

"Well, what do you expect?" Leona said in defense of her misunderstood cat. "Fluffy was abused by Mr. Reynolds for years before he died!"

"Now, Leona," Essie admonished her sister. "You and I both know that Mr. Reynolds only squirted Fluffy with the hose one time, and that was when she was digging up his prized azaleas."

"That may very well be true, Essie," Leona began as she passed the carrier onto Christine's lap in order to buckle her own belt. "But you know how sensitive Fluffy is! The poor baby was scarred emotionally."

Rose hid her smile as she listened to the same argument that had been ongoing for years. "Here comes John," she announced as John approached the driver's side.

"You know, Essie, I do believe you are right, John is the spitting image of that actor," Leona said as she studied John's strong features.

"Is everyone ready?" John asked as he turned in his seat to view his four passengers.

At the sound of John's strong voice Fluffy emitted a hissing sound, causing Christine to jump in alarm.

"Don't mind her, Christine," Leona said as she took the carrier from Christine's lap. "Did you remember to bring that DVD, Essie?"

"Yes, I did," Essie said, beaming as she reached into her purse to produce the Oscar-winning film. "'Return of the King', staring John's lookalike, Viggo Mortensen."

"Let me see," Rose said as she held out her hand. Studying the actor's photo, she had to agree that her handsome son did favor the actor. "Well, who knew that I had such a famous son," she said with a girlish giggle that had John rolling his eyes.

Christine smiled as she watched the byplay between Rose and her friends, knowing that she and her baby were in good hands with such a caring group.

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Nadir knocked softly upon Erik's office door, secretly hoping that his angry boss wouldn't hear.

"Come in," Erik yelled through the door as he sent the email he had just written.

"I have the signed contract for the Robbins deal," Nadir announced as he handed the contract to Erik.

Erik simply looked at Nadir without taking the proffered document. "When did it arrive?"

"I'm not sure," Nadir said in a rush as he once again tried to push the contract into Erik's possession.

"When did it arrive?" Erik asked coldly as his eyes took on a hard edge.

"Six thirty," Nadir said resignedly.

"Call them and tell them they are over an hour late," Erik said as he rose from his leather chair.

"Erik, will you please reconsider," Nadir said in a slightly pleading tone to try and soften Erik's steely resolve.

"Call them, Nadir," Erik said coolly as he retrieved his coat.

"No," Nadir advised his boss firmly, finally catching Erik's attention whose gaze rose slowly to meet his head-on.

"Would you mind repeating that?" Erik asked, a menacing edge to his tone.

"I said no," Nadir repeated with an unnatural calmness that radiated throughout the room.

"Then I will have no choice but to fire you," Erik said smoothly as he buttoned up his cashmere coat.

"Fine," Nadir said as he began to walk towards the open door as Erik looked on without any outward sign of emotion. Pausing at the door, Nadir looked back at his one-time closest friend. "Erik, I-more than anyone-know the hell you have been through over Christine, but that doesn't give you the right to make others pay for her mistakes," Nadir said softly.

Erik stiffened at the sound of her name on Nadir's lips, a name he had forbidden to be uttered in his presence. Immense pain began to radiate through his body as he, for the first time in the last four weeks, allowed himself to feel the loss of his Christine.

Nadir watched with a heavy heart as he saw Erik all but crumble beneath the weight of his pain. Closing the door softly, he walked back into the room to pour his friend a much-needed drink.

Erik remained motionless as his face took on a haunted look that reflected the inner torture he was enduring.

Nadir pushed the strong drink into Erik's unsteady hand as he once again gained his friend's attention.

Looking up into Nadir's concerned eyes, Erik turned away abruptly rather than see the pity that shone in their brown depths. "What in hell am I going to do without her?" he asked in a ghost of a voice.

Nadir drew in a breath that attested to the hopelessness of the situation. "Do you want us to search for her?" Nadir asked, his tone disguising his aversion to the idea.

Erik lifted his pain-filled eyes to look at Nadir as if he was seeking answers. Did he want to find her? he asked himself. And when he once again had her back in his sights, what then? More ruthless revenge that would only end in further pain to them both? Closing his eyes tightly, he knew the only answer left was to finally let her go. Downing the rest of his drink, he carefully placed the empty glass upon the table. Getting to his feet, he crossed the room to his desk and quickly signed the contract that had almost cost him his only friend.

Nadir watched silently as Erik made several changes to the contract and then added his signature to the last page.

"I've added thirty million to the purchase price, that is more than fair to both sides," Erik said as he began to walk towards the door.

"Erik?" Nadir called questioningly after his boss.

Without turning, Erik gave Nadir the answer to the question that had been left unresolved for the past four weeks. "Let her go, Nadir," he said softly as he slowly walked out of the room. "Just let her go."

Nadir stared after Erik's retreating form with mixed feelings of relief and sorrow. Relief in that now his friend could try to find some semblance of peace within his life. But he knew a strong feeling of sorrow; sorrow that his friend would never again find a love as strong as the one he held for Christine.


	19. Chapter 19

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N This chapter may be a little confusing because we are skipping through a few different time periods, so try to bear with me. Poor Erik has resigned himself to a life without Christine. And what about Christine, has she found the man that may be the one to help heal her broken heart??? Let's find out…**

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Fantastic job as always, what would I do without your expertise? Thank goodness I don't have to find out!)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 19**

_Four months later_

Marie laid Erik's barely eaten dinner tray on the kitchen counter with a deep sigh. "After you finish up here you can retire for the evening," she informed Meg. She turned and walked tiredly back towards her dimly lit office.

Meg watched with a slightly guilty expression as she set about to wash the dishes. She wondered how much longer her nagging conscience would hold out. Christine could have never envisioned the heartbreak her leaving had wrought upon Mr. Dessler. The poor man was wasting away before their very eyes. He neither ate nor slept; he spent his days looking at the vast number of files accumulated over the years of surveillance he had perpetrated upon Christine. Work, which had been his one salvation immediately after Christine's departure, now lay all but forgotten. Nothing could dim the pain that filled the broken shell that Mr. Dessler had become.

"Oh Christine," Meg said softly as she absently washed the dishes. "I wish you would just call me."

"Did you say something?" Marie asked as leaned down to pick up her forgotten notebook.

Meg nearly jumped out of her skin, having believed herself alone. "I was just talking to myself," Meg said hastily, and quickly averted her eyes to her sink full of unwashed dishes.

Marie regarded her employee suspiciously, knowing that something was definitely amiss. Her once always-cheerful employee had certainly changed over the past months. "Meg, if you need someone to talk to I am always available," she offered in an uncharacteristically kind tone.

Meg's eyes began to fill in a rush of shame, and she dropped the dish she was washing. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Giry, I'm just not quite myself tonight," Meg said as she bent down to pick up the pieces of the broken dish.

Marie walked over to join Meg's kneeling form. Reaching out, she stilled Meg's shaking hands. "Meg, I can see that something is obviously bothering you; can't you tell me?" Marie asked, her concerned voice causing Meg's guilt to scale to new heights.

"I…" Meg began, but stopped and closed her eyes at the memory of Christine's pain-filled expression so many months ago when she shared her story of Erik's unrelenting punishments. "No, I can work it out myself."

Marie took the broken pieces from Meg's hands and rose to her full height. "All right," she sighed as she discarded the broken china into the waste bin. "I want you to take tomorrow off; Jenny can see to your duties tomorrow."

"No, I can…" Meg began only to be stalled by Marie's outstretched hand.

"Take the day, Meg. I certainly don't need another person in this house to worry about," Marie said sadly as she turned and walked back towards her office.

Meg cursed the predicament she found herself in, her loyalty split between her friend and her suffering boss. _He has a right to know he is going to be a father_, her conscience nagged at her as she returned to her duties. "But Christine deserves some peace too," she whispered under her breath. Heaving a great sigh, Meg resigned herself to a long and guilt-filled life.

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_One month later_

Marie frowned down at the envelope that was addressed to Christine from the area's local hospital. Pursing her lips, she wondered what effect it would have on Erik if she dared to give it to him. His downward spiral had continued over the last five months, to the point where he barely resembled the man who once ruled over all in his path. Gone was the confident dynamic man who excelled at all he attempted. Now there was only a pain-filled, broken man, who was paying the steep price for the revenge he had felt so compelled to extract. Knowing that she would only cause him further pain, she reached out, picked up her letter opener, and proceeded to open the envelope. Upon opening the letter, her breath caught in her throat as she read.

_Dear Ms. Daae,_

_Congratulations on your pregnancy! As you enter your third trimester, it is time to consider which facility will best meet with your needs in the delivery of your baby. We are very excited to invite you to a tour of our new birthing center located across the street from out main facility. In addition to our traditional maternity ward, we have added the birthing center to provide a relaxed atmosphere for a smooth and worry-free delivery. We have included a brochure that will offer further information on the numerous amenities offered at our newly designed center._

_In addition, we would also like to offer to you a wide variety of classes for first-time mothers and fathers. We are even proud to offer a class for new brothers and sisters as a new baby in the home will bring about numerous changes to all the members of the family. _

_Dr. Gonzales has informed us that your due date is June 3rd and as time is getting short, we would like to schedule an appointment with you soon. Please call our office at (212)555-8856 at your earliest convenience to set up a time that would best suit you. Again, let us offer our congratulations on the upcoming addition to your family. _

_Sincerely,_

_Michelle Brown_

_Director of Maternity_

_Memorial County Hospital_

Marie dropped the letter on the desk and leaned back heavily in her chair. Placing a hand against her rapidly beating heart, she tried to calm herself into some semblance of normalcy. _Pregnant!_ The word seemed to be emblazoned on her brain as she attempted to digest the unexpected news. _Oh, Erik, what will this news do to you? _Drawing in a deep breath, she stiffened her spine and reached out again for the life-altering letter. Rising from her chair, she began to make her way towards Erik's study, wondering what the next few minutes would bring. Wondering what Erik would do when he found out that he was to become a father.

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Erik looked down at the picture of a younger Christine as she exited her former apartment building, his eyes unblinkingly taking in her incomparable beauty. Knowing that he was only causing himself further pain by going through the years of surveillance he had on his beloved Christine, he couldn't help but smile at the irony. The very pictures that had helped him in his thirst for vengeance were now extracting a more painful revenge upon his own tortured soul.

His heart gave a painful lurch as he reached for his ever-present glass of scotch. Rubbing his unshaven chin, he wondered how long it would be before his liver gave out. He was undoubtedly well on his way to cirrhosis with his continuous drinking. God would surely grant him this one small reprieve and remove him from this life of unending pain. Hearing Marie's tentative knock he called for her to enter, "Come in."

Marie entered the darkened study with a pinched look about her features.

"If you are going to try to get me to eat something then you can just turn around," Erik announced in a slightly slurred tone. Lifting his glass, he offered her a mocking salute. "I have all the nourishment that I need right here."

Marie frowned at the unkempt man her boss had become. "Erik," she began softly as she approached his cluttered desk. "A letter addressed to Christine arrived in today's post."

Erik looked up with glassy eyes as he regarded his long-time employee. "Well, since she didn't leave a forwarding address, I guess it will remain undelivered," Erik said as he took a long swallow of the amber liquid that had been his salvation over the last five months.

"I took the liberty of opening it," Marie said as she put the letter in the center of Erik's desk. "I think you need to read it."

Erik frowned at the letter as he tried to clear his gaze. Picking up the letter he read the words that would change his life forever.

Marie stood and watched in silence as Erik's hands began to shake as he read the news of his impending fatherhood.

Frozen in abject shock, Erik continued to look down at the letter that chilled him to the very center of his being. _Christine is pregnant_…_with my child! _his mind repeated in a staccato fashion that etched the damning words into his brain. _My child! _Rising from his chair, he turned and faced Marie, who drew in a sharp breath at the look of unmitigated rage that filled Erik's green eyes. "Call Nadir, I want him here within the hour," Erik instructed harshly as he walked purposely towards the door.

"Wait!" Marie cried out as she quickly followed him out into the hall. "Erik, what are you going to do?"

Erik stopped abruptly and turned to face his shaken housekeeper. "Do, Marie?" he said with a humorless laugh. "Why I'm going to do what any father in my position would do," Erik informed her as he looked down into her concerned gaze. "I am going to get my child," he said in such a cold, sinister tone that Marie took an involuntary step back as dread began to fill her. Erik turned and once again made his way towards his bedroom, thinking of only one thing: finding Christine and making her pay for taking his child.

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_Three weeks later_

Christine pulled the collar of her wool coat tightly closed as a frigid breeze pierced the March evening air. Feeling a pair of sharp eyes upon her, she glanced down the line to see Rebecca Stevens staring back with a look of intense hatred in her eyes. Christine smiled ruefully as she shook her head slightly. _Oh Rebecca, if you only knew the truth, you would know that I am the last person you need to worry about in your quest to make John your husband, _she thought to herself. She returned her gaze to the movie poster that featured the actor who so resembled John. She wondered what the small town of Freedom would do if they knew all of her and John's secrets.

"Let's get you inside, Tenderfoot," John said, using the nickname he had assigned to her early in their relationship as he placed a protective arm around her shaking shoulders.

"You think with the heated gaze I was just receiving from Rebecca I would be more than warm enough," Christine joked as they made their way into the town's one-screen theater.

John chuckled at the long-standing joke, "Ah, so my intended is here this evening."

"Very much so," Christine replied as she smiled up at her handsome friend.

"Shall we give something more to watch than just the movie?" John asked with a mischievous gleam in his pale blue eyes.

"I think that us just being here together has sent her enough of a message," Christine said as she pulled him towards the busy concession stand. "Besides, I want to watch the movie."

"Yep, I can see why, with that devastatingly handsome actor and all," John teased as he mimicked the pose in the movie poster.

Christine laughed at the vision he was creating, "You know there is a rumor going around town that the time you spent away from the ranch is when you are shooting your movies."

John's eyebrows rose in surprise as he took in Christine's words. "Is that so," he said as he took out his wallet.

"That's what I heard," Christine said absently as she looked at the array of candy in the display case.

"Hi John, Christine," Ronnie greeted as they reached the front of the line. "What can I get you tonight?"

John looked down at Christine with amusement as she began to place her extensive order.

"I'll have the pack of plain M&Ms, one box of Junior Mints, Twizzlers…not the black!" Christine cried out in alarm as she quickly redirected Ronnie's hand away from the dreaded black candy. "Um, and the box of Boston Baked Beans, and the large tub of popcorn, extra butter…oh and a Diet Coke."

"Diet?" John questioned as he regarded her defensive look.

"I am eating for two," Christine responded haughtily.

"Two," John repeated as he looked down at the large quantity of junk food. "I'll just have a Coke, Ronnie."

"Sure thing, John," Ronnie said as he smiled at Freedom's newest couple.

"John! Christine!" Essie and Leona yelled from across the lobby.

"Jeez!" John said under his breath as he watched his mother's friends approach.

"Behave," Christine hissed as she turned to face the two sisters. "Miss Essie, Miss Leona," she greeted with a genuine smile.

"We're just so happy to see you out, dear," Essie said as she gave Christine a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Great, couldn't be better," Christine replied as she regarded the town's most notorious gossips.

"How far are you along now, dear?" Leona asked as she reached out and patted Christine's ever-expanding stomach.

"Seven months, three weeks and five days," Christine said with an exaggerated sigh.

"You know dear, you really shouldn't be living alone at a time like this; you could go into labor and no one would be there to help you," Essie couldn't help but voice her concern.

"That's right, Essie; she could go into labor early. Remember little Sally Jenson? She went into labor a whole two months before she was due," Leona chimed in with her own opinion. "What do you think, John?"

Christine looked up at John, knowing that he would be the voice of reason for the meddlesome sisters.

John felt sweat begin to break out on his forehead at the thought of Christine all alone and in labor. "Christine, I think that you should move out to the ranch. Mary will be there during the day to look after you," he said in a matter-of-fact tone that caused Christine to look at him as if he had completely lost his mind.

"That won't be necessary; it's not like I don't have a phone to call for help if I need it," Christine said sardonically, only to receive three very censuring looks.

After an uncomfortable pause, John, Essie and Leona began speaking at the same time.

"Now Christine, you know that we only have your best interest at heart. Think of the baby, dear," Essie said in her best grandmotherly tone.

"Sally was not as far along as you are, Christine, and she went into labor! Thank God that her husband Scott was home at the time," Leona informed Christine knowingly with a nod of her head.

"Essie and Leona are right, Christine," John said as he tried to talk some sense into his friend. "Anything could happen to you when you are alone at the house."

Christine felt as if she was in an episode of the Twilight Zone while they all stared at her as if she had no sense of self-preservation. "I appreciate all of your concern, but I will be fine," Christine said, her tone uncharacteristically firm.

The threesome continued to stare at the uncooperative Christine for a few more minutes as though she was a troublesome child who needed to be handled delicately. "I know!" Essie said in a triumphant voice. "We'll just have to set up a calling schedule."

Leona looked at her sister questioningly, "Calling schedule?"

"Yes, we will all take a scheduled time each hour to call Christine. I'll take the fifteenth of every hour, Leona you can take the every half past the hour, Rose will call at every forty-fifth minute of the hour and John," Essie said as she looked up at the tall man at her side, "you can call Christine every hour on the hour."

"Essie, you're brilliant!" Leona complimented her older sister.

John nodded his head approvingly. "Yes, I think that this will work," he said as he mulled over the makeshift solution.

"NO!" Christine said in an overly loud voice to stop the madness of her friends' plotting. "I don't need anyone calling my house every fifteen minutes! Besides, when am I supposed to get any rest?" she said with a challenge in her eyes.

Frowning, John considered the problem that Christine had just raised. "She's right," he said with a sigh as he turned his attention back to his co-conspirators.

"Well, someone will just have to spend the night at her house then," Leona said as she gave Christine a disapproving look. "I suppose that we can each take turns. John, what nights will be best for you?"

Christine's mouth dropped open as she watched the threesome efficiently plan the remainder of her pregnancy. Feeling as if she had no control over her own life anymore, she was reminded of when she was under Erik's unrelenting control. Tears began to fill her eyes at the pain that filled her heart at the memory of Erik.

John, seeing that Christine was becoming upset, decided to table this issue for a later time. "Ladies, why don't you go ahead and get a seat for the show, while I talk this over with Christine," John suggested to the two sisters who were now staring ashamedly at Christine.

"Oh, Christine," Essie began as she reached out to pat Christine's shoulder reassuringly. "We didn't mean any harm; we just want you and the baby to be safe."

Christine, unable to speak, merely nodded her head as she felt John's strong arms pull her protectively into his embrace.

"I'm sorry dear," Leona offered softly as she gave John a look of apology.

John continued to hold her until he felt the tension leave her body. "Okay?" he asked softly as he leaned back to regard her sad expression.

"I'm sorry," Christine whispered as she looked up into his concerned gaze.

Reaching out, John tenderly wiped away the tears that still adorned her cheeks. "I am the one who is sorry," he said with a sigh. "It's just that I do worry about you being alone."

Christine could see that he did appear to be genuinely concerned for her. "I know," she said as she reached up to smooth away the lines of worry that appeared on his face. "It just reminded me of a time when I had no control over my own life."

A flash of rage entered John's gaze as he immediately realized that she was referring to the bastard who had ruined her life. "If I ever get my hands on…" John began angrily only to be silenced by Christine's fingers to his lips.

"No, please don't. I just want to forget about that time of my life," she said, her quiet voice, in contrast to her words, only confirming the pain that she continued to feel at the hands of Erik.

"Do you want me to take you home?" John asked as he watched her closely.

Drawing in a deep breath, Christine gathered courage and decided that she needed to put Erik where he belonged, in her past. "No, I want to see the movie," she said with a brave smile.

Unconvinced, John continued to regard her with his searching gaze. "Are you sure?"

Smiling up at the undeniable concern in his features, she knew that she had found a true treasure in this man. "Yes," she said firmly. "It's not every day a girl gets to see a big-time Hollywood movie starring her very own date," she said in a teasing tone that brought a relieved smile to John's face.

"Okay, Tenderfoot," John said as he gathered up her armful of candy and proceeded to follow her into the crowded theater.

Rebecca watched with clenched teeth as Christine and John made their way into the theater. "Enjoy him while you can, you fat bitch; things have a way of changing in the blink of an eye," she whispered, the vitriol in her low tone causing her best friend Jessica to frown.

"Bec, what are you up to?" Jessica asked as she pinned her friend with a suspicious gaze.

"Nothing," Rebecca said as she adopted a look of innocence. "Nothing at all," she said softly as she smiled secretly to herself, thinking of the surprise that awaited Christine when she returned home.

"Why do I get the feeling you're up to something?" Jessica questioned as she eyed her friend apprehensively.

Rebecca only smiled at her friend as she kept her side of the bargain, a bargain that not only made her rich with the million-dollar reward that was now sitting in her bank account, but also supplied her with a much-needed solution to her problem with one Christine Donald.

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**A/N Dun dun dun! Oh, but I do so love the parts of the story that is filled with evil cliffhangers! I am almost done with Chapter 20 so you won't have to wait too long for that to be posted. Let me know what you think. I really do appreciate all of your insightful reviews. I especially like the ones who berate our poor Erik.**


	20. Chapter 20

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Wow, did poor Erik get blasted in the reviews or what? Thanks for the reviews, and thanks to the review that said I was your favorite FF writer, you really made my day with that one! Ok now on to the next chapter…gotta love the cliffhangers! I do anyway. **

**Author – ToryD**

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Isabel is waiting for you)**

**Erik's Vengeance **

**Chapter 20**

Nadir watched warily as Erik paced the small motel room with the restless energy that had plagued his boss for the last three weeks.

"How much longer?" Erik snapped impatiently.

Nadir peered at the digital clock beside the bed. "The movie is scheduled to let out in twenty minutes," Nadir said as he watched Erik's nervous movements.

"Twenty minutes," Erik repeated to himself and drew in a much-needed calming breath.

Sighing, Nadir rose and crossed to the small bathroom to pour himself a well-deserved drink. Turning back to Erik, he lifted the drink in a mute offering.

Erik shook his head in refusal at Nadir's offer, knowing that if ever he needed a clear head it would be in the next hour.

Nadir returned to his designated seat and wondered how Christine would react when she came face-to-face with Erik, the very man who now more than ever had the right to demand she atone for her sins. "Erik, have you thought about what you are going to say to her?" he questioned bravely but with a shrewd stare.

Erik raked an unsteady hand through his thick hair as he sank down upon the bed. "Say?" he said, his slight laugh belying the gravity of his intense emotions. "I don't know, Nadir. What is the proper thing to say to a woman who would deny you your own child?"

Nadir winced at the ruthless edge to Erik's tone. "I don't know, Erik. I can't begin to imagine how you must feel," he responded as he finished the last of his drink. "But let me offer this small piece of advice. Try to remember that she is eight months pregnant and the last thing she needs at this time is any stress."

Erik hands curled into fists at the truth of Nadir's words. From the second that he learned of Christine's latest betrayal he had operated with only one purpose filling his being: to find Christine and his unborn child. After an extensive nationwide search, it was almost comical that the only bona fide sighting came from a tip received from a tabloid reader in Montana. Thank god that Nadir had had the foresight to advertise the search and reward ads in more than just the legitimate newspapers as he had originally ordered.

_What am I going to say to her once I see her?_ he questioned himself as he pictured the scene in his mind. _What could I say when I finally come face-to-face with Christine? The one woman who holds not only my heart in her hands but the precious little life that was a part of them both. _He shut his eyes in a bid to find the inner strength to get him through the coming hour. An hour that would set an unchangeable course for both Christine and his future.

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"I especially liked the part when the hero lost all of his clothes but still had some way of keeping his cell phone on hand," Christine observed with a bright smile.

"Yes, he was quite resourceful," John responded, placing an arm around Christine as they walked into the cold March night. "It's supposed to be in the fifties tomorrow; how about you come out to the ranch and see if you can land ole Oscar."

Christine shook her head as she remembered her long-fought battle with the town's legendary wide-mouth bass. "How is it that this one fish has been the bane of all the fishermen in Freedom for the last twenty years?" she asked as John led her towards his black pickup.

John looked down at her as he considered her question. "I guess he is just one smart fish," he said with a deadpan expression as he opened the door for her.

Christine shot him a look of disbelief before she climbed up into the truck's cab. "I think that it just maybe too many old fishermen getting together a tall tale to tell their wives when they don't bring anything home after a long day of fishing," Christine speculated as she allowed John to buckle her in.

"You may have something there, but I think I'd prefer to think that ole Oscar is still out there waiting," John said as he reached up to tweak the end of Christine's nose playfully.

Christine watched John wave at a passing friend as he walked around the front of the truck. _How lucky I am_, she thought as happy tears began to fill her eyes.

John settled his tall frame behind the steering wheel and reached out to start the engine. "Is there anywhere you want to go?" he questioned as he turned to face Christine. Seeing her tears he instantly drew in a sharp breath, "What is it? Is it the baby?" he asked as a look of pure terror crossed his features.

Christine began to cry harder at the look of fear and concern on John's sweet face.

"Honey, please tell me," John pleaded as he reached for her hand.

Grasping John's hand tightly, Christine swallowed hard past the lump of emotion in her throat. "I'm sorry, I just cry over the littlest things these days," she said as she wiped away her tears with the back of her free hand.

John felt as if he had been rode hard and put away wet as he recovered from Christine's latest pregnancy mood swing. "Tenderfoot, you sure do know how to scare a guy," he said as he leaned over to kiss her cheek gently.

Christine smiled her apology as she laid her head against John's strong shoulder. "Sorry, I guess I am just too emotional," she said and linked her arm through John's as he began to reverse out of the parking lot.

Knowing that Christine needed to get home to rest, he turned down the main street towards her house. "How about I make you my famous hot chocolate when I get you home?" he asked, his tone pitched to soothe her fragile emotions.

"With marshmallows?" she asked in a soft tone that reminded John of his three-year-old niece.

"Of course," John said in a matter-of-fact tone that brought a smile to Christine's lips.

"I'd like that," Christine said happily as she burrowed her head deeper into the soft suede fabric of John's thick coat, thankful that she had such a sweet and caring man in her lonely life. _If only I could learn to love him as I love Erik, _her mind taunted her ruthlessly as she closed her eyes against the glare of an oncoming car's headlights. "If only," she whispered softly as a single tear escaped her closed lid to fall softly down her cheek.

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Nadir pushed the end button on his cell phone as he turned to update Erik on Christine's location. "They just arrived at her house," he reported as he reached for his overcoat.

Erik remained frozen in place as the news that Christine was finally within his grasp reached him. The hardened shell he had carefully adopted to sustain him since her disappearance began to fall away. His heart began to pound within his chest as he pictured her with the man who had become his most hated adversary. _John Cameron_, his mind taunted him with the relentlessness that had plagued him these last few days. He cursed at himself silently as he pushed away the image of a smiling Christine with her new millionaire cowboy.

From what his team of private detectives had uncovered, Cameron had a thriving ranch that employed over half of the households in the small Montana town. They had also uncovered that he had been Christine's constant companion over the last five months. Feeling an overwhelming rage fill him at the thought of Cameron's hands upon Christine, Erik vowed to destroy the man who dared to take what belonged to him.

"Erik," Nadir's voice pierced through his struggle with his inner demons.

Snapping out of his dark thoughts at the sound of Nadir's voice, Erik walked calmly to the closet to retrieve his black cashmere coat. "Let's go," he ordered. His cold tone had Nadir wincing at the violent undercurrents at work within Erik's tortured soul.

With a slight shake of his dark head, Nadir fell into step behind his boss and walked out into the cold night.

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John placed a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of Christine and smiled as he saw her expected frown at the lack of marshmallows. "And how many marshmallows would you like this evening, madam?" he asked with an exaggerated bow designed to bring about a smile to her disappointed face.

"Three," Christine announced with enthusiasm as she breathed in the delicious aroma of John's famous drink.

Once he had her hot chocolate fixed to her specifications, he took his own mug and sat across the kitchen table from her. "Okay, Tenderfoot, care to talk about what has you so upset?" he asked as he studied her pale features.

Christine shifted uncomfortably within her chair as she looked into John's seeking gaze. "I guess I am just feeling a little guilty for not telling Erik about the baby," she said, her hushed tone a gauge of the extent of her conflicted emotions.

"Well, from what you have told me about Erik, he doesn't deserve to know that he is about to become a father," John said reasonably. Christine's conscience however still felt the enormous weight of her failure to tell Erik.

Christine bit her bottom lip as she considered that John was right, but that didn't help ease the ache within her heart; a heart that in spite of everything still belonged to the man who had so systematically destroyed her. She knew that she needed to come to terms with her decision in order to have some semblance of peace, and she tried to push the guilt away and focus on a future, a future without love. "I wish that we could choose who we are destined to love," she said wistfully as she stared into the pain-filled eyes of her dear friend.

Swallowing hard past the lump in his throat, John nodded his head in silent agreement. His heart gave a painful lurch at the unfulfilled love that still resided within his own broken heart. "I'll drink to that," he said in a gruff tone. Christine reached out and grasped his hand in unconditional understanding.

"I'm sorry, John, here I am crying over my problems and I haven't even asked about yours," Christine apologized softly.

John waved a hand dismissively as he shot her a brave smile. "Nothing has changed, and nothing ever will," he said sadly, the poignancy of his situation piercing through to Christine's soft heart.

"You don't know that, John, you need to…" Christine began earnestly, only to falter to a stop when John abruptly changed the subject.

"You didn't answer my question earlier," he said as he rose and crossed to the sink to pour out his half-drunk hot chocolate.

Christine released a deep sigh as she witnessed John's emotional withdrawal. "What question was that?"

Without turning to face her, John closed his eyes against the pain that continued to thrive within his soul. "Fishing, I asked if you wanted to come out and try to land ole Oscar," he said lightly to hide his tortured emotions.

Knowing that John was trying to bury his pain from her, Christine rose and placed her hand lightly upon his wide shoulder. "John, I know that you don't want to talk about Terry, but I am here if you need me," she said as she leaned her cheek against his back.

Lifting his arm, John pulled Christine into a loose embrace while he gave her a sad smile. "You know, Tenderfoot, if I could change things, I would fall madly in love with you."

"I think that I would be one hell of a lucky woman," Christine replied as she looked into his clear blue eyes.

John pulled her to his chest and held her gently, wishing that they could find some happiness with each other, but knowing with an unerring certainty that each of their hearts would always belong to another. "How did we get so serious all of a sudden?" John asked moments later as he took in the darkened circles beneath her eyes.

"Beats me," Christine said with a shrug to her tired shoulders.

"Go finish your drink," John said gently as he released her from his arms.

After a few minutes passed, John decided that it was time for him to broach the subject that had been worrying him over the past few hours. "Christine, I know that you don't want to hear this, but I think that you should come stay at the ranch until the baby is born," he said, watching her closely for her reaction.

"John," Christine began in a firm tone that showed John that she was not about to be railroaded into staying at his ranch. "I really appreciate your concern, but I really don't need to be watched every second of the day."

"I know, but think of it as a favor to me," John said in a coaxing voice that had Christine on her guard instantly.

"A favor?" she asked as she looked at him suspiciously.

John knew that she was not going to easily comply with his wishes so he enlisted the aid of his secret weapon…guilt. "Yes, a favor," he said as he smiled at her innocently. "I will feel so much better knowing that you will have someone around if you might happen to need anything."

"I'm only pregnant, it's not like I'm a complete invalid," Christine said sarcastically as she glared at him over the rim of her mug.

"In know…I know," John said in a gentle placating manner. "But I worry about you here when you're alone," he said so sweetly that Christine felt a pang of guilt tug at her heart.

"I don't want you to worry," she said with a look of concern taking up residence on her face.

John seeing that he was making headway continued with his gentle persuasion," Well I do, you remember what Leona said about Sally Jenson."

Christine did wonder what she would do if she were to go into labor prematurely. _Maybe I am being selfish by keeping my independence,_ her mind considered. "Well, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea if I came to stay a while," she said softly.

John felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders as he finally had her seeing the sense of his offer. "Good," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "I'll let Mary know that you will be moving in tomorrow."

Frowning, Christine set her empty mug upon the table. "But…"

"I had better get home, I have some paperwork to finish," he said abruptly as he picked up her mug to place it in the sink.

Christine watched with an amused look as he effectively handled her as if she were a small child. "John," she called to him softly.

John knew that he needed to get out of there before she changed her mind. Reaching for his coat, he quickly made his way towards the door. "Get some rest, Tenderfoot. I'll call you in the morning," he said as he crossed to the door as he tried to make a hasty exit.

"Hold it, cowboy!" Christine called out sharply that had John freezing in his tracks. She almost dissolved into a fit of laughter as she watched him slowly turn to face her as if he was a little boy about to be punished for some mischievous deed. "I have one condition," she announced firmly as she pinned him with her calculating gaze.

John knew that she had the upper hand and crossed his arms across his chest as he awaited her demands with a raised eyebrow.

Seeing that she had his full attention, she proceeded to hit him with both barrels. "If I come and stay at the ranch I would like your promise to help me out with something."

Smiling, John knew that he would do anything she asked of him without a second thought. "You know that I would do anything for you, Tenderfoot," he said as he tossed his Stetson onto the kitchen counter with a relieved look on his handsome features.

"Great," Christine said as she stood to walk over to the retrieve the pamphlet she had gotten from her doctor's office. "Here you go," she said triumphantly as she handed John the glossy paper.

John looked down at the tri-folded paper with a look of horror. "Oh no!" he said as he tried to hand the offending paper back to Christine.

"But you just said that you would do anything for me," Christine reminded him as she looked up at him with an amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Well that was before I knew what it was," he said as he tossed the paper onto the kitchen table.

"You wouldn't want me to be in the delivery room all alone, would you?" Christine asked as she adopted a lost look to further drive her point home.

"But," John said halfheartedly as he shifted from side to side nervously. "I can't be there when…well you know," he said as a flush of red stained his cheeks.

"John Cameron! It's not like you have to be down at that end," Christine informed him with exasperation lacing her words. "I just need you there to hold my hand," she said in a wistful tone that betrayed her loneliness.

Feeling every bit of the insensitive man that he was, he reached out and gently lifted her downcast chin to look into her lonely eyes. "I'll be there Tenderfoot," he promised as he gave her an encouraging smile.

Tears began to fill her eyes as she leaned into to his strong chest. "Thank you," she said softly as she linked her arms around his slim waist.

John continued to hold her tenderly until she began to yawn. "I think you need to get your beauty sleep," he said teasingly.

Nodding her head in agreement, Christine reluctantly pulled back from the warm safety of John's comforting embrace. "What time do you want me in the morning?"

"If I say six you'll be there at ten, so make it four," he said with a teasing glint in his blue eyes.

Christine regarded him with a resigned look. "All right, I'll be there at eight," she conceded as she watched him move towards the door.

"Goodnight, Tenderfoot," he said with a slight chuckle as he let himself out.

"Goodnight," Christine called after him as she locked the door. As she went to wash the mugs, she saw that John had forgotten his hat and looked out the window to see that he had just backed out of her drive. _I'll just take it with me tomorrow_, she thought as she finished cleaning up the kitchen.

Making her way towards her bedroom, she heard a knock upon her door. Smiling, she retrieved John's forgotten Stetson from the kitchen and walked to the front door. "Forget something, did you?" she said teasingly as she pulled open the door.

Erik stood looking down at Christine with such unmistakable coldness in his green eyes that the blood in her veins instantly froze. "Erik," she whispered in a small, frightened voice.

"Hello, Christine, aren't you going to ask me in?" he asked in a smooth tone as he continued to pin her with his icy unrelenting gaze. "I believe that we have a lot to discuss."

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**A/N Let the I hate Erik party begin, ok just so you don't think I am totally evil, the next chapter, which is already written will turn things around a bit on my poor Erik. Please leave a review, I am close to the 300 mark and what can I say, I'm a greedy review ho!**


	21. Chapter 21

I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

**A/N I think that this may be the longest chapter I have ever written. I did say that I had this chapter written at the close of the last posting, but my amazing Beta pointed out some weak areas in the plot that needed to be fixed to carry the story in a more believable fashion, hence the delay in posting. Sorry, but it was a necessary delay. Thanks Iana for saving the day! Loved all of your reviews on the last chapter, especially the one that said to hand her a drink and pass the chips because she had just arrived at the I hate Erik party. Okay, so now you are wondering what I have in store for poor Erik and Christine. Well read on, and as I have been punishing you with the cliffhangers on the last two chapters, be advised that this one will end on a much more serene note. **

Author – ToryD 

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Everyone wish Iana a belated Happy Birthday!)**

Erik's Vengeance 

**Chapter 21**

Christine swayed slightly at the sight of the man she had so desperately fled from so many months ago. His image began to blur before her.

Erik watched her pale in the space of a few seconds and felt the cold spread of fear in his blood. "Christine!" he called out in alarm and as he reached out with a protective gesture she crumpled into his arms. "Nadir!" he yelled back towards the black SUV.

Nadir thrust open the driver's door and raced towards the small house. "What happened?" he asked, his dark features etched with deep concern. He followed Erik into the house.

"She passed out," Erik said tersely as he laid Christine gently upon the sofa. "Call an ambulance!" he commanded. As he knelt down beside Christine's unconscious form, he knew an unprecedented fear.

Nadir quickly withdrew his cell phone and dialed 911, hoping that even a small town the size of Freedom had competent emergency services. "Yes, I need an ambulance," Nadir said firmly as his call was answered promptly.

Erik lifted his shaking hand to gently brush away a stray curl from Christine's pale cheek. "Christine," he called softly to rouse a response from her.

"They're on their way," Nadir said as he snapped his cell phone shut. "How is she?" he asked as he peered over Erik's shoulder to look at the motionless Christine.

"How the hell do you think she is," Erik hissed through his teeth. "She is eight months pregnant and has just had to come face-to-face with the man she hates most in the world, how would you be?"

Nadir could hear the fear that laced through Erik's voice. "I'll see if I can find a cold cloth," he said softly as he made his way towards the hallway.

Erik tightened his grip on Christine's hand as he once again tried to pull her back from her unconscious state. "Christine, help is on the way," he said reassuringly despite the intense terror he felt thrumming through his body.

Christine moaned as the pounding in her head beat out a steady rhythm of unrelenting pain.

Erik stiffened in alarm as he watched Christine's features clench in pain. Reaching out, he caressed her smooth cheek gently with the back of his fingers. He lifted their joined hands to his lips for a kiss that conveyed his overwhelming love. "Please...let her be all right," he prayed brokenly.

Feeling as if she were floating high above on a reckless wind, Christine heard Erik's faint but unmistakable voice. He sounded so odd to her ears, as if he could not comprehend an elusive fear he could not battle. She felt an overwhelming need to comfort him, to chase away the unseen demons that were haunting him. "Erik," she whispered as she tried to push through the thick darkness that separated them.

Hearing his name on her sweet lips, Erik's attention was sharply focused as his tortured green eyes studied her intently. "Christine, wake up, baby," he said tenderly, pouring all of his immense love for her into his tone.

Christie smiled softly at the warm familiarity filling her as she heard the endearment he used so many years ago. Blinking slowly, she adjusted her eyes to the light to look upon Erik's concerned gaze. Alarmed, Christine drew in a quick breath at the dramatic change in Erik's appearance. Gone was the strong, confident man who commanded all within his sight, gone the man who mercilessly took all that she and her family had in life. All that remained was a man whose haunted eyes told of his journey into the very depths of hell.

Reaching up, she traced the deep lines beneath his beautiful eyes, her own face mirroring the concern in Erik's visage. "You look so tired, have you been ill?" she asked as she studied him with a worried expression.

Erik's throat constricted at her sincere concern which was so undeserved. Turning his face into her caressing hand, he kissed her open palm reverently in a testament of his unparalleled love for her. In this one perfect moment, clarity broke through his embittered and hardened dark heart, and he found at long last the purpose of his life. For he knew with a certainty that echoed with every beat of his heart that his life would only be fulfilled if he found a way to win Christine's forgiveness.

Nadir stood silently in the hall as he watched the tender scene unfolding before him. Never again would he question Erik's motives when it came to Christine, for before him lay the indisputable evidence of Erik's deep love. Hearing the distant sound of the approaching ambulance, Nadir walked slowly forward as he held out the damp, cold cloth to Erik. "I see that she has awakened."

Erik tried to regain his composure as he took the damp cloth from Nadir's outstretched hand. "Yes, just a moment ago," he said gruffly, placing the cloth upon Christine's forehead. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently as his eyes stared down intently into her confused eyes.

Feeling herself enveloped by a surreal moment, Christine frowned as she tried to force her brain into remembering what had brought her to this strange situation. "What happened?" she asked as she tried to sit up, only to be forestalled by Erik's restraining hand.

"You fainted," Erik informed her gently as continued to hold onto her hand as if he could share his strength through the intimate contact.

"I think that is the ambulance," Nadir said, and he walked towards the front door to let the paramedics inside.

"Ambulance?" Christine questioned, still in the process of clearing the foggy recesses of her brain to grasp the situation.

Erik watched her carefully as she attempted to gather her scattered thoughts. "Don't worry," he advised soothingly. "Have there been any complications with the pregnancy?"

Christine's heart jumped in her throat as the haziness cleared and she felt the full impact of the events that had taken place. Shaking her head from side to side, her eyes began to well up with tears. "You can't take my baby away," she stated in a frightened voice with her first coherent thought.

Erik felt as if he had been pierced through to the heart. A deep pain lanced through Erik as he watched her shrink back from him, as though he were Satan himself. "No one is going to take your baby away, Christine," he told her calmly.

Two volunteer paramedics entered carrying a multitude of equipment. "Hey, Christine," Charlie Ross called out as he gently nudged Erik out of the way. "So I hear that you blacked out for a little while."

Christine continued to fix her frightened stare upon Erik. "Please make him go away," she whispered desperately as Charlie began to expertly take her blood pressure.

Selma leaned down and took Christine's hand. "We need to ask you some questions, honey," she said in a calm soothing tone which nonetheless failed to reduce Christine's agitation.

Rose came rushing through the front door dressed in her thick blue robe with a battalion of curlers in her grey hair. "Christine!" she called out in alarm as she took in the sight before her.

"Rose," Christine called out as she saw her neighbor. "Please don't let him take my baby away," she whimpered as tears began to fall unheeded down her pale cheeks.

Frowning, Rose looked up at the two handsome strangers and wondered what they had done to upset Christine. "Don't you worry, honey, no one is going to take anything from you," she said firmly as she shot a glare across the room at Erik and Nadir.

"Christine, your blood pressure is a little high, so I need you to try to relax for me," Charlie said, using his best persuasive calming voice that was in direct contrast to the look of worry that he exchanged with his partner Selma.

"Are you seeing Dr. Jamison?" Selma asked as she smiled down at Christine.

"Yes," Christine answered as she tried to block out the knowledge that Erik was in the room like a threatening dark angel, poised to strike at any moment.

"I'll give him a call so he can meet us at the hospital," Selma said as she reached for her cell phone.

"Hospital," Christine said in surprise. "I don't need to…" her voice trailed off as she once again lost consciousness.

"We lost her," Charlie announced as he reached for his medical bag. "Have you got Dr. Jamison on the line?"

"It's ringing," Selma said as she waited for the town's only ob-gyn to answer his phone. "Dr. Jamison, Charlie and I are over here at Christine Donald's house. She has passed out and has a blood pressure of 210 over 90," Selma informed him over the phone.

Erik felt the full extent of his fear as he could only watch helplessly as Christine lay motionless upon the sofa.

Nadir placed a comforting hand upon Erik's shoulder as he too watched the dire situation unfold.

"I'll tell him," Selma said as she ended the call. "Doc said to give her 20mg of magnesium sulfate and to get her to the hospital as soon as we can."

Charlie nodded and reached for the vial to administer the requested drug.

"Is she going to be all right?" Erik asked, his tortured tone noted by Rose, who wondered who this man was to Christine as he was so obviously frightened for her.

"She should be fine; we just need to get her blood pressure down to a lower rate. Has she been complaining of headaches lately?" Charlie asked as he helped Selma position the gurney in which to transfer Christine.

"Not to me she hasn't," Rose commented as she studied Erik and Nadir intently.

Charlie looked over at the two well-dressed men and silently asked them the same question.

"I had only just arrived when Christine fainted," Erik said stiltedly, keeping his eyes on Christine's face.

"Who are you exactly?" Rose asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

Finding himself as well as Erik on the receiving end of a suspicious look from the older woman, Nadir decided he had better tread carefully in an attempt to spare Christine and Erik any future embarrassment. "We're friends of Christine's from New York," he said smoothly as he smiled warmly at Christine's neighbor.

"She doesn't really talk too much about her life back east," Rose said as she turned her attention back to Christine with worried eyes.

"We're taking her now," Charlie announced as he and Selma led the gurney holding Christine out into the cold night.

Erik quickly followed as he ignored the dark look from Christine's neighbor. "Nadir," he called out as he walked swiftly towards their awaiting SUV. "I want the country's top ob-gyn here to see to Christine," he ordered as he once again took hold of his senses.

Nadir knew that he had better come through on this assignment, for the look on Erik's hard features told that he would brook no mistakes when it came to Christine's health. "Sure thing, boss," Nadir answered as he took out his cell phone to begin his assigned task.

Rose, standing at the door, watched as the ambulance pulled away from the drive with the late model black SUV following closely in its wake. "So this is the man that you are running from, Christine," she said shrewdly. Closing the door behind her, she began walking towards her own home, her thoughts already on her son as she entered and headed towards her phone.

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"How are you feeling this morning, Tenderfoot?" John asked as he walked into Christine's hospital room three days later.

"Fine, not that anyone believes me," Christine said crossly, scowling at her friend who had failed to spring her from her white prison.

John chuckled to himself as he took a chair and placed it next to her bed. "Well, they are saying that if you promise to follow doctor's orders that you can go home tomorrow," he said as he sank into the hard back chair.

"Which doctor?" Christine asked sarcastically, as she shot him a look of disgust.

"I guess the latest one that Dessler had flown in from Chicago," John said, not bothering to hide his distaste for the man who had stormed into their lives three days ago.

Sighing heavily, Christine leaned back against the bank of pillows that Erik's hired nurse had so efficiently fluffed. "So I guess he is still here then," she said as she looked up at her trusted friend.

"Yep, he and his whole entourage are taking up half the waiting room," John responded dryly.

"Entourage?" Christine said as she gave John a questioning look.

"Well, there is that Arab guy that was here the night you were admitted, then of course the medical team arrived the next morning; you've met all of them. And just this afternoon two women arrived," John said, concluding his rundown of Erik's supporters.

"Two women?" she asked as smoothed a hand over the spot where the baby had decided to practice his soccer kicks.

"Yes, an older woman and a pretty blond," John responded to her inquiry.

Christine felt her heart lurch as she pictured Erik's blond mistress Chantel fawning all over her 'Pookie Bear' while he awaited news on his unborn child's condition.

John watched Christine's pain play unheeded across her features. "Tenderfoot, are you okay?" he asked her gently.

"Why can't he just leave me alone?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

John wanted to do nothing more than to walk up to Dessler and beat the life out of him for what he was doing to Christine. "I don't know, Tenderfoot," John replied sadly. He reached out and squeezed her hand, offering what little comfort he could.

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Essie stared daggers at the man seated across the waiting room. He had recently become Freedom's town enemy number one. "I heard from Louise that he rented out all of the rooms at the Freedom Inn for the next three months," Essie informed her companions out of the side of her mouth in an attempt not to be heard by the enemy camp.

"I guess he is planning to stay a while then," Rose said disgustedly as she crossed her arms across her chest to glare contemptuously at the opposite side of the room.

"Now Essie, you know that I told you just this morning at breakfast that Sharon from G and E Realty said that the Arab man was looking to rent a large home within the area. And that if one could not be found to suit their needs then they would consider buying the old Sanderson home," Leona said, looking from beneath her lashes at the striking man who had caused their Christine to be hospitalized.

"Do you think that they are moving here?" Rose asked in alarm, bringing her hand to her chest.

"Seems likely, but if they do buy the Sanderson place then they'll have to have a hefty sum. I heard that they were asking for over $500,000," Essie responded.

"I don't think money is any concern of his," Leona said as she nodded her head towards Erik. "You do know that the Arab paid Bob $10,000 for the use of his field so that they could land some fancy helicopter there."

"Helicopter?" Essie said a little too loudly. "Leona, when did you hear that? I haven't heard anything about a helicopter."

"Yesterday when I was getting the eggs to make my famous coconut cream pie for the church potluck, I saw Shauna and she told me about the helicopter," Leona informed her sister with an undisguised look of triumph at having come upon some information that had eluded Essie's knowledge.

Seeing her sister's obvious enjoyment at her small victory, Essie turned her attention back to Rose. "Has John told you anything about them?" she asked, hoping to gain more insight on the strange happenings over the last few days.

Rose shook her head in disgust at her unforthcoming son. "He won't tell me anything," she said complainingly. "Says if Christine wanted me to know her personal business then she would tell me."

Essie and Leona responded with a well-synchronized "Humph!"

"You know Rose, that son of yours keeps too many secrets," Essie said as she regarded her best friend of forty years.

"I know, I know," Rose sighed in agreement.

"Do you think he is the father of Christine's baby?" Leona asked as she once again snuck a peek at the handsome man across the room.

"Well, Christine said that she was a widow, but I kind of think that she may have been lying," Rose said as she tried to piece together the truth of the story.

"She might have been telling the truth and he is a relative of the dead husband and is trying to get custody of his dead brother's child," Leona speculated.

"I don't think so," Essie said as she studied Erik without a hint of subtlety. "I think that he is the father, otherwise he wouldn't be so upset."

"What if he was the brother of Christine's dead husband and she had an affair with him and he is the father of her unborn child. And what if her husband then found out about her affair with his brother and then he killed himself?" Leona whispered with a look of unholy glee on her weathered face.

"Ooh," Rose and Essie sighed in unison as they processed the possibility of Leona's assessment.

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Erik rubbed his stubbled jaw tiredly as he watched Nadir talking quietly with Marie and Meg. _God what a fucking mess_, he thought darkly. He continued to feel the unrelenting glares of Christine's friends from across the room. He couldn't blame them, for if he were in their shoes he too would want to protect Christine from the monster that had ruined her life. _Why couldn't I have just for once found a way to make peace with my dark past? Why in hell couldn't I have just forgiven her for her role in my imprisonment? After all, she was only seventeen and under her parents' high-handed influence at the time she signed the paper that sent me to prison for four long years. Because she was suppose to love you, _his cruel mind taunted_. "NO_!" he said aloud, trying to silence the dark side of his personality that had led him to his destructive path of revenge.

Marie excused herself from Nadir and Meg to walk gracefully towards Erik. "Erik, when was the last time you've eaten anything?" she asked him as she took in his uncharacteristically disheveled appearance.

Looking up at her, Erik shook his head at the question. "I'm not hungry," he replied with a deep bone-weary sigh.

From the update she had just received from Nadir, Marie knew that Erik had not left his current position for the last three days in hopes that Christine would relent and grant him an audience. "Erik, you look like hell," she said truthfully. Taking the empty chair on his left, she noticed the group of elderly women who were staring openly at them. Ignoring the distasteful glares, she proceeded to try to reason with her employer. "Erik, listen to me," she began as she took hold of his cold hand.

Erik started at the physical contact, as if he were not a worthy recipient of anyone's proffered kindness.

Marie's heart skipped a beat at the look of pain in Erik's eyes. "If you hope to be of any use to Christine, you need to take care of yourself," she said, allowing an admonishing note to creep into her tone.

"Use to Christine," Erik scoffed as he pulled his hand away from Marie's comforting grasp. "Don't you know that I am the one who put her here," he said brokenly as he rose abruptly from his chair. He crossed to the window to look out at the small town Christine now called home.

Rising, Marie followed to stand behind Erik. "Erik," she called out to him gently. When he did not turn around Marie stepped forward to peer into his features. She drew in a startled breath at the unmitigated pain she saw there, and brought her hand to her lips to still the cry that threatened to escape.

"What am I to do, Marie," he asked, his hopelessness tearing at Marie's very soul. "How in hell do I make it up to her?"

Marie felt a chill race down her spine at the look of desperation on Erik's face. _What answer could I give to his gut-wrenching question? What wisdom could I impart that would set his poor tortured soul at peace?_ she asked herself silently as she pulled Erik's unresisting form into the comfort of her motherly embrace.

Erik's body began to shake with the force of his sobs wrenched from deep within his soul as he for the first time in fifteen years gave voice to all of the pent-up pain resulting from Christine's long-ago betrayal. He cried for the loss of his innocence. He cried for the toll his imprisonment caused to his poor mother, who had died so needlessly as she attempted to visit him one cold January afternoon. He cried for the wasted years, years spent with only one goal in mind, the complete and utter destruction of his once-adored Christine. He cried for the Christine's father, who in his greed and prejudice set in motion the horrific events that had devastated all their lives. But most of all he cried for his beautiful Christine. Christine who had so bravely faced all that he had thrown her way. Through each and every one of his unforgivable punishments, she had shown such uncompromising grace and courage. She had unflinchingly accepted all that he had deemed to force upon her in the name of his unquenchable revenge.

All eyes within the small waiting room turned to watch the broken figure of a man collapse as he released his long-held pain. Nadir and Meg felt a common deep sympathetic loyalty to the man who was so openly crying out his burdensome grief. Rose sat silently with Essie and Leona as they each felt a pang of sorrow for the man who was so obviously suffering.

Marie held him gently as he released the sorrow that had filled his heart for so many years. Her thoughts centered on the man who cried so openly within her arms as well as on the woman who lay only a few doors down who was suffering in a painful hell all of her own. _Oh Lord, how can You allow these two tortured souls to remain in such misery?_ _Please grant me the wisdom to help them,_ she prayed as she listened to Erik's continued sobs with a breaking heart. _How could Erik after all of his intentional revenge find a way to garner Christine's forgiveness? What could heal the vast, painful rift that separated him from his Christine?_ she asked herself as she stroked Erik's back in a soothing motion. _LOVE! Love is the only power on earth that can heal these deep wounds. _A tearful smile of long-sought understanding spread slowly across Marie's face, for now she knew what answer to offer to Erik's heartfelt question. For now, she knew how to bring to both Erik and Christine some much-needed peace.

Erik felt the release of his long-held thirst for vengeance leave his body as though it were a tangible entity that had relentlessly poisoned his very soul. _What a waste_, he thought sadly, as he began to regain his composure. _I have wasted my life in the pursuit of a vengeance that has failed to alleviate any of the pain of the past. A vengeance that has come at such an unimaginable price. The price of a love that I can't bear to live without._

"Erik," Marie called out softly as Erik withdrew from her arms.

Erik looked into the kind eyes of his mother's best friend. "I'm sorry," he said simply.

Shaking her head, Marie reached out and caressed the once-scarred side of his perfect face. "You asked me how you can make it up to Christine," she reminded him gently.

Erik nodded his head slowly as he looked at her with a resigned expression.

"You need to show her that you love her, Erik," she advised softly. "You need to find the love that you once held so deeply within your heart and show her that it is still there. That your love for her is still beating deeply entrenched within your heart even after all of the pain of the past."

"But how?" Erik asked helplessly.

Marie paused as she considered the question that Erik posed so beseechingly. _How did one go about showing someone that they loved them with their every breath? _Smiling, Marie found the answer that would set Erik on the road to winning back his Christine. "You begin again, Erik," she explained with steadfast conviction. "You begin again and you move heaven and earth to show her that she is your very heart. You show her that she is your one reason for living," Marie said simply. "Just show her that you love her, Erik."

Erik felt a small ray of hope fill his heart at Marie's words. _What if Christine and I could have a second chance? What if I could find a way to atone for my multitude of sins? What if I could once again win her love, as I had so many years ago?_

Marie watched as Erik transformed before her very eyes. Gone was the man who lived only to revenge a betrayal that had befallen him so egregiously in the past. Gone was the man whose only reason for living centered upon an unquenchable thirst for a vengeance that had almost destroyed the very woman whom he loved. Marie smiled contentedly as she looked at the change in her dear friend's son. For now, she could see that Erik was filled with a new sense of purpose, a purpose centered around a love that would never be denied. A love that must never again be taken for granted.

**A/N Okay, now admit it, some of you are pulling for Erik now. He still doesn't know that Christine was duped into signing the deposition that sent him to prison, he still believes that she willfully put him behind bars. So you really have to hand it to the guy for finally putting it all aside and coming to terms with the past. So where do we go now, you ask? Erik has a hard road ahead of him in winning back Christine's affections. And what about John and Christine? Do they have something more growing out of their friendship that will interfere with Erik's plans? Perhaps Erik can enlist the aid of a certain team of sisters…hmmm, there is a thought!**


	22. Chapter 22

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N Sorry for the delay, Iana and I both suffered pet deaths last week, and as I'm sure you pet owners can attest, it is hard having to say goodbye to a important member of ones family. So here's to Barbara, Iana's faithful cat and Barney the diabetic wonder dog, who have each left their own indelible mark on our respective families. **

**Apologies, apologies, apologies… I have failed you back in chapter 12 (authoress throws herself upon her writer's pen…well that sounds more dramatic than keyboard) when I failed to clarify Erik's morning after clarity. I have added a much needed section in chapter 12 so that future readers can benefit. The next two chapters are finished (surprised aren't you) and while they don't hold as much of the drama that my others do, they are necessary for the set up of what's to come, oh it is going to be a tear jerker (and no, nothing is going to happen to Christine or the baby). I'm welling up just thinking about it, but that is at least three or so more chapters down the line after the two I have already written. **

**Author – ToryD **

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Thanks for your amazing talents! They are well worth any wait.)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 22**

Meg knocked softly on Christine's hospital room door as soon as she saw the handsome cowboy disappear from sight around the corner. Pushing open the door, she peered around to see her friend and the amazing changes that the intervening months had wrought. "Wow, have you changed!" she said with a bright smile.

"Meg!" Christine greeted her enthusiastically and waved her in. "I can't believe you're here."

"Mrs. Giry thought that I might be needed," Meg said as she crossed the room to give Christine a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you," Christine replied as she returned Meg's embrace. "John told me that Erik had two women, but I thought…" Christine's voice trailed off weakly.

Meg settled herself on Christine's bed and looked into her friend's sad face. "You thought what?"

Christine drew in a deep breath and looked up at the kind concern in Meg's clear blue eyes. "I thought that Chantel was here with Erik," she said with a slight edge of pain threading through her tone.

"Mr. Dessler gave her the boot months ago. The day you left as a matter of fact," Meg said as she recalled the repeated phone calls that Mr. Dessler's former mistress had made to the house that had all gone unanswered.

"Really," Christine said happily, as she silently cursed herself for the feeling of relief that she didn't want to acknowledge.

Meg raised an eyebrow at Christine's unexpected reaction to the news of Erik and Chantel's failed relationship. Perhaps there was a chance for Christine and Erik to find happiness after all, she thought as she felt a strong desire to help her friend and employer. "Yes, not that Chantel didn't try to do everything to win him back," Meg confided with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "But he wouldn't have anything to do with her. In fact after he had found out that you had left, he kind of went a little mad if you ask me."

Christine's eyes widened as she listened to Meg's words. "What do you mean?" she asked, unable to stop herself from wondering what effect her departure had had on Erik.

Meg tried to hide her relief at the reaction that she was receiving from Christine. If anyone had even the slightest bit of doubt that Christine still didn't harbor feelings for Erik, it would have been completely alleviated by the intense interest Christine was now exhibiting. "Well, right after you left he did all he could to find you. He hired a team of top-dollar private investigators. Had all of your steps traced and retraced. Even spoke with the attorney that you met with that day, but even then they couldn't find you."

Christine leaned back on her bank of pillows as she took in the newfound knowledge of the extreme measures that Erik had gone to in which to find her. "He probably just wanted to make me pay for not fulfilling my contract with him," she said softly as she twisted her hands together.

Meg's heart went out to her friend as she watched Christine resign herself to the familiar pain that seemed to always accompany any conversation involving Erik. "I would have thought that as well until your letter arrived," she said as she reached out and covered Christine's hands with her own.

Christine had often wondered what Erik's reaction would be to her carefully worded farewell letter. "Why?" she asked simply as she looked up into Meg's concerned features.

Sighing, Meg wondered if she were doing the right thing in telling Christine how devastated Mr. Dessler was to receive her letter. "I'm not supposed to get you upset," Meg said weakly.

"Please, Meg, I need to know," Christine implored softly as she grasped both of Meg's hands.

Nodding her head in understanding, Meg relented and began to describe the pain that had darkened Erik's world. "Mr. Dessler actually went a little bit insane. He was always a hard man; I guess that can be attributed to his years in prison and the cruelty he faced with his scars early on," Meg speculated as she watched Christine closely for any signs of stress. "But, he seemed to just die on the inside when he got the letter. He didn't care about anything. He didn't eat or sleep. He started drinking," Meg said with a sad look of disapproval on her face. "Mrs. Giry was so worried that he was trying to drink himself to death."

Christine's eyes began to well with tears as she pictured the strong, confident man whom she had always envisioned when she thought of Erik reduced to a man who turned to alcohol in order to help cushion the pain. "Oh, Meg," she cried as she lifted her hand to her lips to stifle the cries that threatened to escape.

"Christine, please…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you," Meg said, alarmed, as she knew that Christine was not supposed to be exposed to any amount of stress. "Do you want me to call the doctor?"

Christine shook her head as she regained her composure. "No, I'm fine. Please, Meg, I need to know the rest," she begged as she wiped away the tears that seemed to have sprung from the very depths of her pain-filled heart.

"I-I-I…" Meg stuttered as she weighed the risk that she was placing Christine in.

"Please," Christine said beseechingly.

Meg wrestled with her conscience as she looked into Christine's pleading eyes. "Well, all right," she said as she resigned herself to any repercussions that might befall her if Mr. Dessler ever found out that she had upset Christine. "This went on for months; he would barely eat or sleep. All he did all day and night was drink scotch and look at pictures of you," she said with sadness in her eyes at the memories of those dark days at the mansion.

"What pictures?" Christine asked as her heart began to beat painfully within her chest.

"Apparently he had pictures of you from surveillance that he had taken over the years," Meg said gently. "It was really hard to see him like that. It broke my heart to see how he would trace the picture so reverently with his fingers, as if he had some link to you through them. He would look so lost, as if he hadn't any real reason to go on," Meg said so hauntingly that Christine felt as if a wide hold were pierced into her soul.

Christine remained silent for several minutes as she breathed in the pain that she had unknowingly inflicted upon Erik. "How did he find out that I was pregnant?" she asked, her voice seeming to echo throughout the quiet room.

"A letter arrived for you from a new birthing center at the hospital. They were trying to schedule a tour for you," Meg told her with a slight smile.

Christine closed her eyes and kicked herself mentally for not remembering that she had authorized Dr. Gonzales's nurse to send her name and address to the hospital for pre-registration. "I'd forgotten about that," she said with a self-admonishing tone.

"Yes, well, as soon as Mr. Dessler heard the news, all hell broke loose. He had a reward posted in every major newspaper in the country for any news that led to your location," Meg informed her with a look of amazement as she recalled the whirlwind of activity that had filled those eventful ten days.

"So I guess someone from town cashed in on Erik's reward," Christine said sardonically, wondering who had given her up without as much as a hint or warning.

"Well it would be hard to pass up a million dollars," Meg said emphatically.

"A million!" Christine exclaimed, and shook her head at Erik's extreme offering.

Meg looked amused at Christine's expression. "I guess he wanted to find you fast," she said with a teasing gleam in her eyes.

Rolling her eyes, Christine breathed in deeply. "So here we all are then," she said resignedly as she looked at her sympathetic friend.

Nodding, Meg patted Christine's large stomach. "Tell me about the baby; do you know if it's a boy or girl?"

A genuine smile reached Christine's blue eyes as her thoughts turned to her unborn child. "It's a boy," she replied softly as she rubbed her stomach lovingly.

"A boy!" Meg exclaimed happily as she took in the radiant joy reflected in Christine's face. "How about names?"

"I haven't decided on any yet," Christine said truthfully.

"My sister had her baby's name decided when she was only three weeks pregnant," Meg said with an impish grin as she poked fun at her sister.

"Well, I am up for suggestions," Christine said with a slight yawn.

Seeing that Christine was tiring, Meg decided that she should leave. "I'd better let you get some rest," she said as she rose from Christine's bed.

"No, don't go," Christine called as she reached out towards her departing friend.

"You look like you need to get some sleep," Meg responded as she took Christine's outstretched hand in her own.

"I'm a little tired, but it's nice to have someone that I can really talk to," Christine said so quietly that Meg had to strain to hear her.

Meg's heart skipped a beat at the aloneness that Christine's eyes projected as they connected with hers. "I'll stay if you want me to," she said as she smiled down at the relieved look on her friend's face.

Christine scooted over to one side of the bed to make room for her friend. "Lay next to me," she said as she patted the empty space.

Meg grinned as she kicked off her punishing heels and took her place next to Christine. "So tell me about that handsome cowboy," Meg began as she linked her arm through Christine's.

"John Cameron," Christine said with a happy smile that caused Meg to frown suspiciously.

"Yes," Meg prodded as she nudged her friend's leg with her own.

"He owns a large cattle ranch and has been a very good friend to me," Christine explained as she looked into Meg's speculative gaze.

"Good friend, eh?" Meg asked as she continued to pin Christine with her inquiring stare.

Christine laughed in delight at the look on Meg's face. "Yes, he is only a friend," Christine responded truthfully.

Meg relaxed as she let the tension leave her body. "So he isn't really looking for a relationship with you then," she stated softly.

"No, not with me," Christine replied absently as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the company of her friend.

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Meg asked, her nonchalant tone not disguising her hidden meaning. Christine's eyes snapped open at her friend's question.

"Why do you ask?" Christine asked, and now she was the one pinning her friend with her own sharp gaze.

Meg's face took on a look of innocence as she tried to deflect the accusatory look in Christine's eyes. "No reason," she said in a barely-there tone. "Just wondering what his status is."

Biting her bottom lip to hold in her laughter, Christine knew that Meg was being a little too casual in her quest for information on John. "He's single," Christine replied knowingly as she looked on with amusement.

Meg blushed as she turned away from Christine's all-seeing gaze. Deciding that she had better change the subject before she completely embarrassed herself, Meg asked what Christine's plans were. "Mr. Dessler said that you are being released tomorrow."

"Yes, thank god!" Christine responded with a great sigh of relief.

"Do you have someone to stay with you, other than nurse Ratchet?" Meg asked using the pet name she had given to the stern nurse who had instructed her not to overstay her time in Christine's room.

Christine laughed at Meg's assessment of the no-nonsense nurse who had been guarding her door. "John actually offered to let me stay at his ranch until the baby is born," Christine said softly as she shifted to alleviate the pain on her side.

_That will sit just dandy with Mr. Dessler_, Meg thought to herself dryly as she watched Christine rub her large stomach. "I was hoping that we could spend some time together while I'm here," Meg said wistfully.

"John wouldn't mind if you came out to the ranch," Christine replied with a smile.

As much as Meg wanted an invite to the handsome cowboy's ranch, she knew that she wouldn't feel comfortable without Mr. Dessler's permission. "I'll have to see if Mrs. Giry can spare me," she said with a forced smile that failed to cover her apprehension.

At the mention of Marie's name, Christine tensed. "Meg," she called out to her friend in a serious tone. "What is Erik hoping to gain by coming here?" she asked directly and stared unblinkingly at her friend.

Meg had a sad expression at the slight fear that Christine couldn't quite hide. "I think that he wants a chance to make a life with you and the baby," she answered truthfully.

Raising a shaking hand to cover her tearing eyes, Christine released a shuddering breath. "I can't allow that, Meg," she said so quietly that Meg could have sworn that it was just the wind outside the small window.

"Christine," Meg said soothingly as she entwined her fingers through Christine's. "I wish I had some great wisdom to help you and Mr. Dessler. But I guess only you and he will know what is the right path for each of you," she said with a regretful sigh.

Feeling utterly bleak, Christine closed her eyes and tried to harden her heart which was once again breaking at the love that would always be denied.

Meg, feeling her friend's pain as though it were a living, breathing entity within the room, gave Christine's hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "It is just so sad," she said gently as she turned to look into Christine's sorrow-filled eyes. "He has so much love hidden within his heart, but I guess because of everything he has had to endure in his life he just doesn't know how to let it out. Such a waste really," Meg surmised as her face took on a pensive expression. "If only he could find some way to let go of the past," she said so wistfully that it caused Christine's heart to break even further.

"Erik will never forgive me," Christine said with an acquiescence that she felt to the very pit of her soul. "And if truth be told, I don't think that I can forgive him."

Frowning, Meg felt the hopelessness of the situation that seemed to be unfixable. "Christine, I can't really speak to how you must feel at all that Erik did to you and your family. But, you yourself told me that he doesn't know the truth about what really happened when you signed that paper," Meg reminded her friend gently.

Christine smiled slightly at the sweet attempt her friend was making. "Meg, even if I told Erik that I didn't really know what I was signing when I signed that deposition, he wouldn't believe me, not really anyway. Without irrefutable proof, Erik would continue to punish me, even if it was only unconsciously on his part. And now that I have a child to worry about, I just can't take a chance on letting Erik's poison into our lives."

"Can you really keep him from his own son, Christine?" Meg asked with a deep frown marring her forehead.

"What choice do I have, Meg?" Christine answered with overwhelming regret in her tone. "I can't take the chance that Erik would let his hatred for me spill over onto our son. What kind of life would that be for a child?"

Meg looked over at her friend with a bewildered expression. "Christine, Erik may have a lot of unresolved feelings for you but hatred isn't one of them," she said uncharacteristically firmly.

"Meg," Christine began, only to be interrupted by her friend's strong words.

"No, Christine!" Meg said sternly as she sat up on the bed. "I wouldn't be a true friend to you if I let you go on believing that Erik hates you. Yes, he did some unspeakable things to you and your family, but have you really stopped to consider what he has gone through? Can you even try to imagine how it must have been going to prison? And not just that, but believing that the one person that he thought loved him most in the world was the very one who had sent him there in the first place?"

Christine felt guilt of monumental proportions settle upon her slumped shoulders as she was for the first time really forced to listen to Meg's enlightening words.

Meg watched Christine renewed hope that maybe Christine and Erik could put the past behind them and begin again. "I don't mean to upset you, but it is just that it seems so foolish for you and Erik to continue to punish each other. You have a child to think of now," Meg reminded her softly.

Feeling the wisdom of Meg's statement settle squarely upon her heart, Christine knew that she needed to find some way to reach a peaceful accord with Erik if their child had any hope at a happy and loving home. "I know that what you are saying is right, Meg, but it isn't as easy just to let go of all of the pain."

"Do you think it was easy for Erik?" Meg asked gently. "If you could have only seen him, Christine, his heart was literally breaking for you when you left. If he hadn't learned about the baby I really think he would have died."

"Meg, I don't know what to do," Christine whispered tearfully as she clutched at her friend's hand.

"You could let him come and visit you, Christine," Meg suggested softly. "Nadir told me that Mr. Dessler hasn't left the hospital since you arrived. He just sits in the waiting room hoping that he might have a chance to see you."

Putting her hand protectively upon her protruding stomach, Christine decided that she did in fact owe it to her unborn child to meet Erik halfway. Drawing in a calming breath, Christine turned to face Meg directly. "Will you please tell Erik that I would like to see him tonight?" she asked with a brave smile that nonetheless failed to mitigate the apprehension that still resided in her soul.

Meg's face lit up as she reached out and hugged her friend. "Yes, of course I will," she said with a relieved look. "I'd really better let you rest now."

Christine watched as Meg stood beside her bed. "Meg, do you think that you could be here when he visits?"

Hearing the slight edge of fear in Christine's tone, Meg nodded her head. "Sure, if that's what you want," she agreed gently.

"Yes, I don't think that I'm quite up to facing Erik alone just yet," Christine replied honestly.

Meg walked back towards Christine's bed to once again take a seat at her side. "Christine, no matter what happens between you and Mr. Dessler, I will always be here for you."

Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, Christine only nodded as she began to tear up again.

Meg seeing Christine's fresh tears began to cry as well. "Jeez, would you look at us!" she said laughingly as she reached for several tissues from the bedside table. Handing a few to Christine, she took her own and mopped up the tears from her cheeks. "Get some rest," she advised once they both had composed their emotions. "I'll bring Mr. Dessler by about eight if that's all right?"

A chill raced down Christine's spine as she imagined her next meeting with Erik. _You can do this, Christine!_ she admonished herself sternly. Stiffening her back, Christine shot Meg a brave smile. "Eight would be fine; I'll see you both then."

Meg nodded as she opened the door and let herself out. _One down and one to go_, she thought to herself as she strode purposefully towards the hospital waiting room.


	23. Chapter 23

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N I think this chapter will put us over the four hundred review mark. And for the special person who makes that all important 400th review, you get to choose the name of Erik's and Christine's baby! Thanks for reading!**

**Author – ToryD **

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Great job as always! I truly don't know what I'd do without you…well I guess sort of know…I'd just post mediocre work, but thankfully for the readers I don't have to!)**

**Erik's Vengeance **

**Chapter 23**

Erik stopped a few feet away from Christine's door and a shiver of apprehension raced through his blood.

Meg, about to open the door, sensed Erik's unease and turned to him with an encouraging smile. "Come on, Mr. Dessler," she called as she motioned to him with her free hand.

Nervously clutching the large bouquet of yellow daisies in his hand, Erik swallowed hard past the large lump in his throat and resumed his steps towards Christine's door.

"Ready?" Meg asked as she placed her small hand upon the door.

"Wait!" Erik said urgently, a clearly defined look of agitation on his face that caused Meg to frown.

Dropping her hand from the doorknob, Meg gave Erik a questioning look. When he didn't immediately respond, she knew that he was having a difficult time overcoming his fear of seeing Christine again. "Christine asked me to bring you here," she said quietly, a gentle reminder designed to calm his nervous tension.

"But…" Erik's voice trailed off as he tried to voice his deep-seated fear of Christine's reaction to seeing him once again.

"No buts!" Meg said firmly as she grabbed a hold of his jacket sleeve and pushed open the hospital room door. "Hi, Christine," she called cheerily as she literally pulled Erik into the room.

Christine turned her gaze away from John at the sound of Meg's greeting. Her pulse jumped when she saw Erik standing just behind Meg. "Hi, Meg…Erik," she responded softly while she shored up her resolve to remain calm in Erik's presence.

Erik walked slowly into the room, his eyes locked fixedly upon Christine's form. "How are you feeling?" he asked, the sound of his unsteady voice foreign to his own ears.

Christine was somewhat startled to see that Erik seemed almost as nervous as she did at this, their first meeting since her admission three days ago. "I'm doing much better," she said, her slight smile not quite countering the trepidation that was reflected within the depths of her blue eyes.

Nodding, Erik held out his bouquet of daisies. "I thought that these might brighten up your room," he said as he handed over the large bundle of expertly arranged flowers.

Smiling, Christine took the beautiful blooms from his outstretched hand and was enveloped by a feeling of nostalgia. "You remembered," she whispered softly as she brought the flowers up to her face and inhaled the delicate fragrance that had always transported her back to the time she had first fallen in love with Erik.

Warmth filled Erik's heart as he watched Christine's reaction to the flowers that he had specially flown into Freedom just for her. "I seem to recall that you had a particular affinity for yellow daisies," he said gently, enchanted at the sight of the genuine joy playing out across her beautiful face.

Christine had never told him all those years ago, but yellow daisies had only become her favorite flower after he had given her one. "Yes, they just seem bring happiness to me for some reason," she said smiling reminiscently as she pictured Erik as the young man who had stolen her heart.

John frowned as he watched Christine's acceptance of Erik's offering; his own arrangement of two dozen roses had not brought about the look of serene pleasure that Christine's face so clearly expressed.

Meg watched the scene unfolding with a speculative eye, noticing not only the nervousness of both Erik and Christine, but also the look of disdain emanating from the tall cowboy in the room. "You must be John," Meg said forthrightly and held out her hand to John.

John forced himself to relinquish his protective gaze from Christine and turned his attention to the pretty petite blond who could only be Christine's friend from New York. "John Cameron," he said gruffly as he took Meg's outstretched hand.

"John, this is Erik Dessler a…ah…" Christine paused, at a loss as to how to describe what Erik was to her. _How do I properly classify Erik and our relationship?_ she asked herself silently_. As a former employer, a former boyfriend, friend, or perhaps I should just state the truth and say enemy._ "Erik is a friend from New York," she said finally as she looked up at the two men.

Erik and John exchanged glares as they sized each other up and found nothing to their liking. Since neither man wanted to make the first step of acknowledging the other's existence, they stood on either side of Christine, each silently declaring an unspoken war upon the other.

Christine shot Meg an alarmed look as the uncomfortable, telling silence in the room grew longer.

With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, Meg broke the silence as she reached for the cellophane-wrapped daisies. "Here, let me find something to put those in," she interjected with a conspiratorial smile.

As Meg left the room with flowers in hand, Christine looked from one man to the other; amazed that each had still not relinquished their predatory stare of the other. Knowing that this could soon develop into something uglier, Christine turned towards John. "John, would you mind if I spent some time alone with Erik and Meg?" she asked softly.

John looked away from Erik's triumphant smirk into Christine's pleading eyes. "Are you sure, Tenderfoot?" he asked as he reached out and clasped her hand within his. This familiarity did not go unnoticed by Erik.

"Yes, I'm sure," she assured him with a gentle squeeze to his large hand.

Nodding his head, he bent down and placed a lingering kiss upon her cheek. "What time should I be here in the morning?" he asked as he retrieved his Stetson from the small windowsill on the opposite side of the room.

Erik stiffened at the casually worded question, quickly taking in the fact that Christine was relying on this cowboy for her care.

"Dr. Gaither said that I can leave around ten," she informed John as she carefully avoided Erik's sharp gaze.

"Okay, I'll be here. Is there anything I should pick up at your house that you'll need at the ranch?" he asked and made his way towards the door.

"Why would she need anything for your ranch?" Erik asked with barely leashed violence in his tone.

Silently enjoying the rage he was instilling in Christine's former lover, John smiled smugly as he informed Erik of his and Christine's plans. "Because Christine will be staying at my ranch for the duration of her pregnancy," he replied with a proprietary tone that set Erik's teeth on edge.

Feeling Erik's tension, Christine began to explain the reason for her decision. "John was kind enough to offer his home so I wouldn't be alone should I need help," she offered, hoping to alleviate some of Erik's obvious anger.

Erik felt as if someone had driven a sledgehammer straight into his stomach as he pictured his Christine within John's home. Turning towards the man that had dared to encroach on his Christine, Erik delivered what he considered a kindly veiled threat. "Thank you for all you have done for Christine, but now that I am here she will no longer be needing any of your assistance."

John raised an eyebrow at Erik's highhanded manner. "You will have to forgive me, but I think that Christine has already made her decision on this," John said with a firmness that Erik found to be offensive.

"I'm sure that you only have the best intentions for offering your home, but Christine will need to stay in a closer proximity to the hospital. I have arranged for a private nurse as well as Meg to stay with Christine in her own home so she will have the best care available," Erik returned with a tone that would brook no further arguments.

Meg chose that precise moment to re-enter the room with the newly glass-vase-encased daisies. "Here you go," she said as she walked past the two men to place the flowers on the small table next to Christine's bed. Sensing the tense undercurrents within the room, Meg gave Christine a quizzical look. "What'd I miss?" she asked, looking at each person in the room in turn.

"I was just informing _John_ that you will be staying with Christine," Erik said with a belittling emphasis on his rival's name.

"Oh," Meg said as she looked back towards an anxious Christine. "Is that okay with you, Christine?" she asked as the two men turned their searching gaze upon Christine.

Frowning, Christine considered giving in to Erik's plans. "I don't want to have to be a bother for anyone," she said softly, and inhaled deeply.

"Are you kidding, you'll be doing me a favor," Meg said with exaggerated irony. "With all the work to be done in the new house, I'd much rather be with you instead of with Mrs. Giry."

Christine smiled slightly as she remembered herself and Meg under the strict, formidable supervision of Mrs. Giry. "Well, looking at it from that way, I guess I have to do the right thing and spare you," she said with a soft laugh, immediately soothing Erik's agitation.

John bristled at the door at the change in his and Christine's plans. But knowing that Christine was still in a very vulnerable state, he decided that he needed to back off at least for this round of his fight with Erik. "Do you still want me to pick you up tomorrow, Tenderfoot?" he asked with a deflated air.

Feeling a touch of guilt settle in, Christine smiled at her dear friend. "Yes, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."

Settling for at least this one small victory, John nodded his head and smiled back at Christine. "Okay, good night, Tenderfoot," he called to her as he opened the door.

"Good night, John," Christine said softly as the door closed behind him. A new feeling of unease filled her as she looked up at Erik. "Thank you for arranging for Meg to stay with me, but I do think that a private nurse will be overdoing it just a tad."

Erik crossed the room to the empty chair. "Nothing is overdoing it where your health is concerned," he said as he settled himself into the hard chair.

Meg hid her smile as she watched each try to bend the other to their own will.

"I'd feel more comfortable if it were just Meg," Christine said, the edge to her voice betraying her unease. Erik cursed himself for his insensitivity.

"Then it will be just Meg," he responded quickly, hoping to spare her any stress. "Maybe you will allow the nurse to visit you twice a day, just to monitor you blood pressure?" he suggested gently, wanting to accede to her wishes while retaining some type of control over her health.

Nodding, Christine knew that Erik was just being cautious for the health of their child. "Yes, I think that would be all right," she conceded with a feeling of relief.

"Settled then?" Meg asked as she took a seat on Christine's bed.

Christine nodded with a slight smile. "John is picking me up around ten, so if you could come over to the house about 10:30," Christine suggested to her friend.

"Sure, do you need groceries?" Meg asked as she prepared a mental list of what she needed to bring.

"The doctor did give me a diet that he would like me to be on for the remainder of my pregnancy," Christine announced without an ounce of enthusiasm.

"Where is it?" Meg asked as she wondered what restrictions Christine would have to endure.

"In the top drawer over there," Christine responded, pointing over to the dresser.

Meg rose and crossed to retrieve the dreaded diet plan. "Ugh! Brown rice, I hate brown rice," she grumbled under her breath.

"Let me see," Erik said as he reached out for the paper. Quickly scanning the low-sodium, fiber-enriched diet, he had to agree that it didn't appear to be the least bit appetizing. "It doesn't sound so bad. I think that we should all go on it for the next two months," he announced as returned the paper back into Meg's custody.

Christine was surprised at Erik's kind-hearted suggestion. "That is very sweet, but I think that I can make it without having anyone else suffer through it with me," Christine replied with a gentle smile.

Seeing that she was willing to brave it alone only solidified Erik's resolve to provide her with all the support it was in his power to provide. "Nonsense, we will all be joining you," he said with such firmness that Meg's heart sank as she resigned herself to the next two months of culinary hell.

Smiling sympathetically up at Meg, Christine gave an involuntary cry of pain as the baby gave a particularly energetic kick to her left side.

Erik jumped up to his feet and raced to her side. "What is it?" he questioned frantically, his face becoming pale.

Christine shook her head briskly to dispel the alarm she saw in Erik's green eyes. "Oh, nothing's wrong. Just the baby kicking rather viciously," she said, and continued to rub the left side of her protruding stomach.

Erik felt as if he had just run a marathon the way his heart was racing with his fear for her. "Does it hurt when it does that?" he asked with furrowed brow.

"He, it's a he, and no, it doesn't really hurt," Christine said as she watched Erik's stunned expression.

"A son," he said in an awed voice as he imagined a little boy with Christine's adorable dimples.

A sharp pang of guilt assaulted Christine when she saw Erik's reaction to the news of their unborn son. She had stolen so much from him by hiding her pregnancy, yet she still didn't know if she could dare to trust him.

"May I?" Erik asked as his hand hovered over her stomach.

"Yes, of course," Christine replied as she took his hand to place it where their son was currently practicing his dance moves.

Erik's eyes widened with wonder as his hand came into contact with his son's movements for the first time.

As Christine watched, a feeling of indescribable connection came to her when she realized she shared with Erik an unbreakable bond that would serve to link them throughout their lifetimes.

A genuine look of joy spread across Erik's face after his son gave an especially strong kick. "He's a strong little guy," he murmured proudly as he continued to stare down at Christine in amazement.

"That he is," Christine responded with a smile of pride all her own.

A soft knock upon the door broke through the tender moment as Ruth, Essie and Leona all entered the room. "Hello, dear, are you up for a few more visitors?" Ruth asked as she walked over to Christine's bedside.

"Of course," Christine replied automatically to the three women who had taken her under their protective wings ever since she arrived in Freedom.

"So I hear that John is taking you to the ranch tomorrow morning," Essie said and pulled up a chair upon which to settle her plus-size frame.

"Well, actually, there has been a change of plans. I'll be staying at my home," Christine replied. "Let me introduce you to my friends from New York, Meg Summers and Erik Dessler," she said as she looked at each of them. "Meg, Erik, this is Ruth Cameron, my landlord and friend, and Essie and Leona Smyth, also very dear friends of mine," Christine finished as she smiled at each of the older women.

Erik extended his hand politely to each of the elderly women. "I want to thank you each for looking after Christine," he said. Essie and Leona were practically swooning like a couple of schoolgirls at his smooth tone. Ruth on the other hand could see that this Erik Dessler was going to pose a problem with her plans for John and Christine.

"Mr. Dessler," Ruth responded coolly as she shook his offered hand. Turning her attention back to Christine, she began to voice her unsolicited opinion. "Dear, I thought that John and you had decided that you needed to have someone with you during the rest of your pregnancy."

"Yes, we had, but Meg is going to be staying with me at the house now," Christine informed her, hoping that she was not offending John's mother in the process.

"Oh, I didn't know that," Ruth said softly as she glanced back at the pretty young woman who had arrived on the scene earlier that day. "It's a shame; I know that John was so looking forward to having you with him." Turning her gaze back to Erik, she imparted some information that she hoped would let Erik know the extent of Christine and John's connection. "John has taken a real shine to Christine since she arrived; I can't tell you how much it does my heart good to see my John with someone as lovely as Christine," she said with a bright smile and patted Christine's hand with a proprietary air.

Erik's jaw tightened at Ruth's description of John and Christine's relationship.

Christine kept a wary eye on Erik listening intently to Ruth's words. "I am very fond of John; he has been very sweet to me," she said softly as she smiled up at Ruth.

"Christine!" Essie called out excitedly. "Where did you get yellow daisies at this time of year?" she asked as she reached out and touched the yellow blooms lightly.

"Erik gave them to me," she replied offering the still-brooding Erik a soft look.

"Oh, so you're the one who had Jeanie calling all over the country for fresh daises to be flown in to Freedom," Leona said with a satisfied smile.

Essie dealt her sister a sharp glare. "What are you talking about?"

"Jeanie told Roberta that some gentleman called in to order yellow daisies, and when Jeanie told him that they were out of season he said that he would cover any added expense. He also said that he would need to have a steady supply as he wanted a bouquet to be delivered at least once a day for the next three to four months," Leona announced with a gleeful look at being the one to once again to have the latest gossip on the Christine situation.

"Well that's about the most romantic thing I've ever heard," Essie said with a dreamy sigh as she smiled over at an embarrassed Erik.

Christine felt tears fill her eyes at the sight of the beautiful flowers that Erik had gone to so much trouble over for her.

Meg smiled as she took in the look upon Christine's face, for even though she might not want to admit it to herself as of yet, Christine clearly still loved Erik. It was only a matter of time before they each came to a meeting of the minds and forged a path to a new life that would be filled with all the love that they each deserved. "Christine, I think I had better find some recipes that will incorporate these foods," Meg announced as she lifted the paper that held the details of the carefully planned out diet.

Essie and Leona's eyes lit up at the mention of recipes. "What foods, dear?" Essie asked as she walked over towards Meg.

"The doctor has put Christine on a restricted diet, and I was hoping to find something that would make them more palatable," Meg said as she handed the paper over to Essie.

"Hmm, I do see your dilemma," Essie said as she studied the bland foods listed. "Leona, didn't Mama used to make a rice pudding using brown rice?"

Nodding, Leona remembered the dish from their childhood. "I'd forgotten about it, but yes she did. I wonder where the recipe is?"

"Probably up in the attic," Essie said as handed the paper back to Meg. "You'd better come with us, Meg. Back in the old days, they didn't have all these processed foods that they do now, so Mama had to cook with the foods that are on that list."

Meg glanced over at Christine with a helpless smile as Essie and Leona each ushered her out of the room.

Essie paused at the open door and called to Ruth, "Coming, Ruth?"

Ruth wanted nothing more than to stay and watch over Christine for John, but knowing that it would seem odd if she were to remain behind, she rose slowly to her feet. "I'm coming," she called in a slightly irritated tone to her best friend. "Good night, Christine. Mr. Dessler," she acknowledged him coolly as she left the room.

"Good night, Mrs. Cameron," Erik said to the disapproving Ruth as she left the room.

Christine felt her pulse begin to race at being left alone in Erik's company. An uncomfortable silence ensued as they each strove to find something to say to break through the tension that was filling the room.

"Erik, it really was sweet of you to go to all the trouble for the flowers," she said gently as she looked at him from beneath her lashes.

Still somewhat embarrassed, Erik waved away her statement. "Christine," he said in a somewhat uncertain tone that was so out of character for him. "I can't believe that now that I finally have you alone I have no idea what to say," he said and shook his head in self-disgust.

"Me either," Christine confessed with a sad little smile. "I guess we do have a lot to discuss, but I just don't know where to start."

Erik ran a trembling hand through his hair as he fought to find the words to beg her forgiveness. "Let me start by saying that I am sorry for everything I put you through," he said truthfully, in direct contrast to his past deceptions.

"Erik," Christine began only to be cut off by his outstretched hand.

"No, let me finish, it is the least that I owe you," he said as he sank down into the chair that Ruth had vacated. "I can't begin to even expect you to understand why I did those things to you and your family, hell I can't even understand it myself," he said his defeated tone attesting to the deep self-hatred he felt.

Christine watched as Erik struggled with his emotions, feeling his intense pain in her heart as if it were her very own. _God, why did we keep punishing each other,_ she thought as she watched Erik with tears of regret filling her eyes.

"I guess the only thing I can do for you now is to make sure that you have everything you and the baby could possibly need," he said sadly, as he looked deep into her teary eyes. "Christine," he whispered tenderly as he reached out and gently wiped away a tear from her smooth cheek. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Oh Erik, I wish we could turn back time," she said on a wistful sigh that caused Erik's heart to fill with indescribable sadness.

"If only it were that simple," he said softly as he took her hand within his. "I had better let you get some rest."

Christine grasped onto his hand as though he were her only lifeline that once lost could never again be found. "Wait," she cried out as her eyes beseeched him to stay. "I don't know what…" her voice trailed off as she tried to make sense of her jumbled thoughts.

Erik caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "We don't have to talk this all out tonight," he said in a gentle tone that seemed to ease some of her anxiety. "I'll be here whenever you need me."

"Erik, I don't know if I can bear to let you back into my life," she said with almost unbearable honesty which struck a painful chord in them both.

"I know," he said as tears of sorrow began to sting the backs of his eyes. "It will be enough for me just to know you're happy, Christine. I'll be in town at least until the baby is born, then if you want me to leave you will only have to say so," he said as he eased his hand out of hers.

Christine watched with a sinking heart as he walked towards the door. "Erik!" she called out in an alarm-tainted tone. "Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow?"

Erik felt as if he had just received a reprieve from heaven above at Christine's unexpected invitation. "Yes," he replied past the large lump in his throat. With one last longing look, he walked through the doorway with a small ray of hope filling his being.


	24. Chapter 24

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N And the 400th reveiwer is...****ForeverPhantoms****! Hey FP, if you could please email or in your next review tell me the boy's name you have chosen for E/C's son I can then add it in to the next chapter. Thanks for all of the reviews, I knew that ya'll would start to soften to Erik's side. **

**Author – ToryD **

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Everyone thank Iana for her speedy editing of this chapter)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 24**

"What time are you expecting them, dear?" Essie asked Christine as she pulled out the first of two loaves of freshly baked multigrain bread from the oven.

Christine inhaled the delicious aroma as she watched from her designated seated position within her bustling kitchen. "Erik and Mr. Khan will be here about seven thirty," she said as she hid a yawn behind her hand.

"That's still two hours away. Why don't you go and lay down Christine," Meg suggested as she withdrew the large bundle of broccoli from the refrigerator.

"Isn't there something that I can do to help?" Christine asked as she watched the other three women with their various tasks.

"Not a thing. Go and rest, Christine. Pretty soon you won't be able to so you should take advantage while you can," Leona advised knowingly.

"Well, if you're sure that you don't need me to do anything?" Christine asked as she levered herself out of the chair rather clumsily.

"Go," Essie said coaxingly as she shooed Christine away with a wave of her hands.

Smiling, Christine left the room to the three women who were determined that she not lift a finger to aid in the dinner preparations.

Essie and Leona exchanged a look as they watched Christine exit the room. "So Meg, why don't you tell us how you and Christine became friends," Essie said as she turned her speculative gaze upon the younger woman.

"We met at Mr. Dessler's estate. I work as Mr. Dessler's private chef and Christine joined the staff about ten months ago," Meg said offhandedly as she began to wash the broccoli.

"Oh, so that is how Christine met Erik," Leona concluded and directed a satisfied smile at her sister.

"No, they had actually met before," Meg contradicted. "They met when Christine was only seventeen. Mr. Dessler used to work as a stable boy for Christine's father."

Essie's drawn-on eyebrows disappeared beneath her carefully styled bangs as her face took on a stunned expression. "So Erik wasn't born wealthy then," she deduced.

Meg wiped her wet hands on her apron and took a seat next to Essie at the kitchen table. "No, he ran into some trouble with the law and had to serve some time in prison. He made his fortune after he got out."

"Prison!" Leona gasped and put her hand to her throat for dramatic effect. "What in heaven's name did he do to land in prison?"

Essie leaned forward in her chair as she waited with bated breath for Meg to continue.

Meg looked a bit hesitant to expand on what she had already revealed. "I probably shouldn't be telling anyone this," she said finally, an ashamed look on her pretty face.

"Oh honey, you can tell us," Leona prompted as she reached out and patted Meg's arm affectionately.

"Well…" Meg sighed with a hint of apprehension.

Essie saw her opportunity slipping away so she played her trump card. "Don't mind us Meg; we are only concerned for Christine. We have come to think of her as one of our own and we just want what's best for her and the baby," she said softly and smiled encouragingly at Meg.

Seeing that both of the older women were sincere in their concern for Christine, Meg felt incumbent to part with the rest of the story so that they could help her in the long days ahead. "I can see that you both have come to mean a great deal to Christine as well," she said with a sense of comfort. "Maybe you can help me find a way to help both Christine and Mr. Dessler," she said, her blue eyes gleaming with a thoughtful look.

"Of course," Essie and Leona chimed in unison, serving to further loosen Meg's already wagging tongue.

"I guess I should start at the beginning," Meg said as she settled back into her chair. "From what Christine told me, she met Erik when she came home from boarding school one summer. He had a terrible scar on one half of his face; she even said that he used to wear a mask to cover it."

"But he is so handsome," Essie whispered, looking at Meg in bewilderment.

"He sure is," Leona said out of the side of her mouth in a most unladylike fashion.

"Leona! You're old enough to be his grandmother," Essie admonished her sister sternly.

"I may be old, but I know a sexy man when I see one," Leona said with a wink in Meg's direction.

Essie rolled her eyes at her sister's comment. "Ignore her, Meg," she said as she glared at her sister.

Meg laughed softly at the exchange between the two sisters.

"Essie is just too proper to admit that she thinks that Erik is a big hunk of sexy man too," Leona said as she smiled smugly at a blushing Essie. "Go on with your story, dear."

"All right," Meg said, and rose to get the pitcher of iced tea Leona had prepared earlier. "Christine had said that the scar was quiet horrific and that Mr. Dessler had had to suffer through a lot of prejudice because of it. She even admitted to me that even though she felt a strong connection with him, the first time she saw him without his mask she almost turned her back on him as well."

"That poor boy, having to grow up with such a burden," Essie said with genuine empathy lacing her tone.

"I can't even begin to imagine," Leona added as she pictured the striking man she had met the night before with such a grave deformity. "But Christine did get past her aversion to his scar, I presume?"

Nodding, Meg filled three tall glasses with the tea. "Yes, she was one of the few who could see Mr. Dessler for the man he was and not just the ugliness of his scar. So over the summer they grew closer and spent as much time as they could together. Christine had skipped a grade, so even though she was entering college in the fall she was still only just turned seventeen that summer. She lied to Erik about her age. She didn't want him to think of her as just a kid," Meg said as she took a sip of her tea.

"In my day seventeen wasn't so young; people got married at that age back then," Essie said matter-of-factly.

"Christine said that that summer was the happiest time of her life. She said that Mr. Dessler was so gentle and sweet," Meg said with a serene expression. "She told me that she knew that he was the one person on this earth that she would always be able to count on."

Essie and Leona each smiled as they pictured Christine and Erik as two young people in love.

"They sound like they were very much in love," Leona said in a hushed voice.

"Christine's mother discovered Christine in bed with Erik one night," Meg said in a low tone. "She was understandably upset, but unlike most parents, she didn't want to hear any sort of explanation. Once her mother explained what had occurred, her father was absolutely livid with Christine, that she would disgrace the family in such a tawdry way was unforgivable, that was the way Christine told me he put it. Her father fired Erik and his mother who had been working as their housekeeper on the spot. Apparently, he couldn't bear the thought of his daughter being associated with a freak of nature like Mr. Dessler. Those were his words, not Christine's," Meg said, her reproachful look directed into the past at the man who had ruined his daughter's and Mr. Dessler's lives.

"Why would her parents be so opposed to their daughter's happiness?" Leona asked, trying fathom the reasoning behind the cruelty of Christine's parents.

"From what she has told me, they were only interested in social stature and what others would think," Meg said sadly. "Christine even told me that her father had actually said to her 'that no daughter of his would be seen with something as revolting as that monster.'"

"What an unfeeling man," Essie said as she took in Meg's words.

"So he made Christine stop seeing Erik?" Leona questioned.

"If only that were the extent of it," Meg said wistfully. "Christine at first refused to fall into line with her parents' wishes and kept meeting Erik in secret. Of course, her father was watching her every move, so when she came home one night her father offered her a choice. If she continued to defy their rules and see Erik then he would have Erik arrested and prosecuted for statutory rape," Meg said. Both Essie and Leona gasped at the disturbing nature of the heartless ultimatum.

"The other option he gave her was to agree to leave for Europe the next day and break off all further contact with Erik. It was her mother who actually came up with the idea, though Christine didn't know that until recently. Since she was only seventeen, her father's threat was quite feasible since the law was on his side when he threatened to prosecute Erik for statutory rape. So naturally to protect Erik, Christine agreed to her father's demands and was sent off to Europe with her mother," Meg said, her sadness almost a tangible thing, reaching across the table to touch the hearts of the two sisters.

"That is just terrible," Leona said as she shook her head in disapproval. "So what did Erik do when he found out that Christine had left?"

"I only know what I have heard from Christine. Mr. Dessler is very private so I don't really know too much of his side of things, but from what Christine has said, her father didn't keep his promise to her," Meg said sorrowfully. "Apparently, he paid off a judge and the district attorney to help him put Erik away for rape."

"Why that's just scandalous!" Essie exclaimed as she looked on in indignation. "How could anyone live with themselves?"

Leona shook her head in agreement with her sister. "But how on earth could they prove it?" she asked, her wrinkled brow marred by a frown.

"That is the real stroke of genius in the story," Meg said with irony. "Christine's father had Christine sign some documents that were supposed to be related to her trust fund. In reality, they were a deposition that detailed a rape that never happened. He was able to use this to gain a conviction that sent Erik to prison for four years."

Essie and Leona sat in stunned silence as they heard the ugly details of Christine and Erik's story. "So Erik went to prison for something he didn't do, and Christine was sent away never knowing the evil that her father had done in her name," Essie concluded despondently.

"Well they have obviously reconnected," Leona said probingly to Meg.

"Yes, they did," Meg said with a deep sigh. "When Erik got out of prison he worked night and day to reach the success he is at today. All the while he was in prison he planned to make Christine and her family pay for what they had done to him."

"I, for one, can't blame him," Leona said affirmatively, which Meg acknowledged with smile in loyalty to her boss.

"No, I guess I can't really either," Meg agreed. "The thing is that even though he was able to extract his revenge according to his plan, in the end it only served to hurt him more. He just can't let go of the pain that her betrayal caused him."

"But she wasn't the one that had him sent to prison! It was her father, doesn't he realize that?" Essie asked with an anguished edge to her tone.

"I think that all he knows for sure is that the piece of paper that has Christine's signature is what put him away," Meg stated bluntly.

"Well, that is just not right!" Leona said, affronted. "Christine needs to tell him what really happened."

"Even if she did, after all of these years I'm not sure that he could begin to even believe her," Meg said. Her words were no less true for being strange. "You have to remember that he spent years working with only one thought on his mind…revenge. All he knows for sure is that Christine lied to him about her age and that she did sign the paper detailing a rape that served to put him away."

"How is it that they have come to this point, Meg?" Essie asked quietly, as though she was dreading to hear the rest of the sorted details.

"I don't think Erik realized what toll his actions would have on himself as he put his plan into motion," Meg said with a disheartened tone.

"What is it that he did exactly?" Essie asked with a worried expression.

Shaking her head at the unfortunate events, Meg began to describe all of the horrible things that Erik had forced on Christine. "He started by first taking away her father's business. Then he took their family home. Christine told me that she only found out about Erik's imprisonment when she was in Erik's offices the day he began his revenge."

"So Christine didn't know that he was even in prison," Leona said sadly.

"No, she didn't. She knew that her father was responsible, but she didn't know how until she went looking for answers in his papers. She told me that she found a copy of the deposition she signed. I'll never forget the look of regret in her eyes when she told me that," Meg said shakily, as tears welled up in her own.

Essie and Leona both dabbed at their own tearing eyes as they imagined what it must have been like for Christine in that moment when she discovered her father's ruthless betrayal.

Meg continued with her account of the painful story in hushed tones. The kitchen clock ticking away the seconds held no meaning to the three women who were joined in such deep sorrow.

"I just feel for both of them," Leona said, wiping her eyes with a paper towel.

"Me too," Meg agreed. "I just wish there were a way for them both to let go of the past and forgive each other."

"For the baby's sake they should at least try to find some common ground," Essie said, her tone bordering on righteous indignation.

"You're right Essie. That baby needs both of his parents," Leona gave as her strong opinion.

"Were just going to have to help them along is all," Essie said as she resolved to set in motion a plan of action.

"But what about Ruth?" Leona asked, a guilty look in her eyes.

"She will just have to find another wife for John; Christine is already spoken for," Essie said firmly as Meg smiled at her new allies.

"All right, but you're going to have to be the one to explain it to her," Leona said as she assigned the dreaded task to her sister.

"Fine. Now let's get down to it," Essie said, drumming her fingers on the table. "What is the first thing that we need to do?"

"I know!" Leona cried out in excitement as her calculating mind began to overflow with a plethora of ideas. "We could have them…."

Meg watched in silent amazement as the two sisters began to hatch a plan to bring Christine and Erik back together. For the first time in nine months, she felt real hope for the happiness that Christine and Mr. Dessler both had deserved for so long.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Explain to me again just why we _all_ have to partake in Christine's diet plan?" Nadir said sullenly as he walked next to his frowning boss.

"Because I pay your salary and it is what I want," Erik intoned with a steely edge to his words.

Nadir hid his amusement at Erik's biting response as he reached out to press the lighted doorbell on Christine's porch.

Erik drew in a deep, calming breath as he waited for the door to open. After a short pause the door was thrust open to reveal one of the elderly sisters whom he had met the night before.

"Erik!" Leona exclaimed excitedly as she smiled up at the two handsome gentlemen. "And you must be Mr. Khan."

"Yes, and you can only be one of the Smyth sisters that Erik has so fondly told me about," Nadir said smoothly, and cast a devastating smile towards the flirting older woman.

Leona all but giggled as she basked in the news that Christine's Erik had spoken of her and Essie. "Well come in, we've got supper just about ready," she said as she stood aside to let them enter.

Erik stepped over the threshold to the enticing aromas that radiated from the kitchen. "A small token of my gratitude for your watching over Christine for me," he said gallantly as he held out an exquisite bouquet of pale pink roses.

A smiling Leona accepted the beautiful flowers with a fluttering heart. "They are just beautiful, thank you, Erik," she said, inhaling the sweet fragrance of his gift.

"My pleasure," Erik said with a slight nod of his head. "How is Christine?" Erik asked as he searched his line of vision with his sharp gaze for her presence.

Seeing Erik's concern clearly defined on his handsome features, Leona set about to ease his worry. "She's a tough one, our girl," Leona said as she linked her arm through Erik's. "We did have to insist that she lay down for a while when she practically fell asleep at the table, but that is nothing to be concerned with. At eight months of pregnancy, any woman would need a little extra sleep."

Erik's had a concerned look as he made a mental note to discuss this latest piece of news with Christine's physician. "Has the nurse stopped by to take Christine's blood pressure?" he asked as he drew to a stop just before they entered the busy kitchen.

"Yes, this afternoon," Leona informed him. Her heart flipped over with this evidence of the undeniable love he had for Christine. "I believe that she is due to stop by again around nine."

Nodding his head, Erik felt a small measure of relief that the nurse was monitoring Christine as he had instructed.

"Miss Smyth, whatever you are cooking in there smells absolutely amazing," Nadir said as he inhaled the enticing aromas.

"You must call me Leona, everyone does," she said as she smiled up at the dark-skinned man. "And as much as I would like to take all of the credit, dinner has been truly a group effort."

"Are you going to keep them all to yourself, Leona?" Essie said with a withering glare towards her beaming sister.

"If only I could," Leona shot back as she winked sexily at Erik.

Erik felt a flush rise to his cheeks at the rather suggestive look from the much older woman.

Christine watched with a slight smile playing about her mouth as she watched Erik in the clutches of the infamous Leona.

"Let him go, Leona!" Essie called sternly from her position at the stove. "Erik, come on over here and introduce me to your friend."

Gratefully Erik disengaged himself from the amused Leona and walked towards the much more refined Smyth sister. "For you," he said as he held out a second bouquet of roses.

"Ah Erik, I can't remember the last time a handsome man gave me flowers," Essie said and reached up and kissed Erik's cheek fondly.

"You can't remember because it never happened before," Leona shot from her position at the kitchen's entrance.

"Don't pay her no mind, Erik, she hasn't been quite right since her forties," Essie said under her breath as she glared daggers at her sister.

"Allow me to introduce my business associate Nadir Khan," Erik said smoothly.

"Ah so this is the man that has been throwing everyone in town into a tizzy," Essie said as she took Nadir's offered hand.

With a look of confusion on his face, Nadir took the older woman's hand. "I'm sorry?"

"You'll just have to get used to us small town folks not being familiar with your city pace, Mr. Khan," Essie said as she looked up at the tall man. "I think that it is going to take Robert and Kenny Packer at least a month to recover from your little project."

Nadir smiled as he realized that Essie was referring to the renovations that were currently underway at the house that Erik had just purchased. "Please call me Nadir. The Packer brothers have been doing a fine job for us; we were very fortunate to have found them," Nadir said diplomatically as he shared a look with Erik.

"Meg," Erik called as he approached her with the flowers that he had brought for her. "These are for you."

Meg's smile brightened the room as she accepted the yellow roses that Erik had so thoughtfully handed to her. "Thank you, Mr. Dessler," she said as she shared a secret look with Christine.

"Is everything going well? Do you need anything?" he asked as he stared down at his employee.

"Everything is more than fine," Meg said with the secret thought in her mind of her and the Smyth sisters plans. "You should go and spend some time with Christine, Mr. Dessler," she advised as she motioned to Christine's seated position.

Erik nodded as he started to walk away. Erik paused and turned back to his new ally in his quest to once again win back the woman he loved. "Meg," he began in a soft tone that Meg had never before heard. "Please call me Erik," he requested as he smiled down her.

Meg beamed at the man who had changed so much over the course of the last few months. "All right, Erik," she said, her eyes gleaming with a look of pure friendship.

Satisfied that he had given Meg her due, he turned to the one person whom he had yet to greet, his Christine. "You look beautiful," he said to her softly as he approached her seated form.

Christine rolled her eyes at the compliment. "I'm sure that that is not at all true," she said with a laugh as she patted her enormous stomach.

"You're wrong," Erik said as he dropped to his knees at her side. Looking up into her eyes, he reached out and caressed her smooth cheek. "To me you have never looked lovelier."

Christine had to bite her lip to keep it from trembling as tears filled her eyes at the look of utter adoration on Erik's face. "Erik," she whispered softly as she leaned into his caressing palm.

Essie, Leona and Meg each shared happy smiles as they watched Christine and Erik. Nadir looked somewhat uncomfortable at the strange undercurrents.

As a silence settled upon the room, Erik continued to stare up at Christine with his heart beating rapidly within his chest. How he loved her, he thought as he lifted the yellow daisies he had brought. "These are for you," he said with a strangely shaking voice.

Christine's face lit up as she took the flowers from Erik. "You really are spoiling me," she said as she closed her eyes and inhaled the flowers' delicate fragrance.

Taking her free hand in his, he lifted it to his lips in a soft, gentle kiss. "It's just the beginning," he said tenderly as he rose from his kneeling position with a look of immense promise within his green eyes.


	25. Chapter 25

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.**

**A/N HELP! My mother-in-law is here for a visit! I am up here in my office under the guise of work, hiding out from the old bat. Thank goodness for tax season, such a handy excuse to use. Anyway, thanks Forever Phantom for the name choice, I love the first one with its Celtic roots. I can't believe you have eight children! Where do you find the time to breathe let alone read fan fiction? Anyway, here we are at chapter 25 (I've been trying to get it posted for the last four days, the site has been acting very funky), only five or six more chapters to go. But don't worry I do have a trick or two up my sleeve yet for this story. So let's continue…oh one more thing…Sanjaya Rocks! **

**Author – ToryD **

**Beta – Terpsichore314 (Great job yet again!)**

**Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 25**

"Who would like another helping?" Essie asked as she held her serving spoon poised over the last serving of the caramelized brown rice pudding.

Nadir leaned back in his chair with a groan of discomfort. "As much as I would love another serving, I'm afraid that if I ate one more spoonful I would just pop," he said with a wry expression, and rubbed his flat stomach.

"I must say that I have never seen a man with such a healthy appetite," Leona observed, watching Nadir with a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.

"When you have been a bachelor as long as I have, you learn to enjoy good home cooking when you have the chance," Nadir replied with disarming truthfulness.

"And that was using the restrictions that Christine's doctor had ordered, imagine what we could do unfettered," Essie said knowingly, and everyone laughed at the look of anticipation on Nadir's face.

"Ladies, I concur with Nadir," Erik said as he rose from his chair. "That was perhaps one of the best meals I have ever eaten, thank you."

Meg rose from her chair. "I'd better get started on the dishes," she said, clearing the table.

"I'll help, dear," Essie said as she too began to gather up the dishes.

"I'll help," Christine said while she rather clumsily tried to lift herself up from her chair.

"NO!" the voices of the three other women rang out in perfect unison.

"You should take a walk and show Erik some of the sights," Leona suggested smoothly, and reached across the table for any dishes within Christine's reach.

"That's right," Essie chimed in. "Walking is good for expectant mothers. Erik, make sure she wears a coat; it still gets quite chilly in the evening."

Erik could hardly believe his luck as he listened to the instructions of the two Smyth sisters. Holding out his hand, he smiled down at Christine. "I'm game if you are," he said with a devastating smile that she could not resist.

Placing her hand in his, Christine allowed Erik to usher her towards the front room, oblivious to the contented stares that followed their movements.

"Are you sure that you feel up to a walk?" Erik asked with noticeable concern lacing his tone.

"I have been cooped up in this house all day. I could use some fresh air," she responded as she retrieved her light wool coat.

Taking her coat, Erik held it out for her. "All right," he said, and he began to button up the front of her coat as though she were a small child.

"Erik." Nadir approached them. "I think I'll head back to the hotel to make some calls. Give me a call when you're ready to leave."

"Okay, make sure that Tomlinson has the quarterly forecast ready first thing tomorrow morning," Erik instructed with an authority that Christine found utterly masculine.

Nadir couldn't help the broad smile that spread across his face at the interest that Erik had once again taken in VIM. "Will do. Is there anything else you need done tonight?"

"No, I'm sure that you have everything under control," Erik intoned. He shrugged on his cashmere coat with an unconscious elegant grace that took Christine's breath away. "Shall we?" he said with a smile as he held out his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

Smiling at his gallant gesture, Christine linked her arm through Erik's, and allowed him to lead her out into the cool April night, neither aware of the sharp pair of eyes watching from a darkened window of the house next door.

"So, tell me about your day," Erik asked easily, and as they started walking, he shortened his normally long stride to match Christine's pace.

Christine smiled in the darkness at the strange feeling of comfort that she was feeling in Erik's company. "Not much to tell. Once I got home from the hospital, all I did was watch Meg, Essie and Leona cook," she said with a resigned sigh.

"So, do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Erik asked as they neared the corner to turn onto the town's main street.

"Nothing during the day, but tomorrow evening I begin my childbirth classes," she replied softly.

"Childbirth classes?" Erik asked as he paused to look down at Christine.

"The hospital offers them to expectant parents," Christine explained as she gestured to the left in order to direct their progress. "The nursing staff will take us on a tour of the maternity ward and show us some films on actual childbirths. They also offer some techniques for pain management."

"Pain management!" Erik exclaimed. Christine had to smile at his slightly alarmed tone.

"Oh you know, breathing exercises, massage therapies, and birthing positions," Christine elaborated as she pulled Erik along the deserted sidewalk.

"Oh," Erik replied in a less-than-knowledgeable tone. "Are the fathers included in these classes?"

Christine stiffened with a rush of guilt. "We are allowed to bring someone with us," she said so quietly that Erik had to strain to hear her.

Erik frowned at the look of unease on Christine's features. Thinking that she was afraid to ask him to attend, he smiled down at her as he reached out and caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Would you like me to attend with you?" he inquired gently.

Cursing herself, Christine wondered how she could tell Erik that she had already decided on John being the one to help bring her baby into the world. "I've already asked John to be my coach," she informed him, and saw a flash of pain in his green eyes.

Feeling as if an iron fist had closed around his heart, Erik quickly turned to avert his gaze in an effort to hide his emotions.

"I'm sorry," Christine whispered brokenly as she reached out to place her hand on Erik's stiff back.

With a shake of his head, Erik cast off the disappointment and turned to once again face the woman he loved. Seeing her eyes filled with concern, he felt his heart turn over at her sheer beauty. "Don't be sorry. I'm grateful that you have someone that you trust to help you," he said in a genuine tone that surprised Christine.

Nodding her head wonderingly, Christine began to walk towards the town square with Erik in tow. After several minutes of awkward silence, Christine turned and faced up to the man whom she had both loved and hated. "Erik, why are you here?" she asked, and she could not prevent an unexplainable fear from spreading through her entire being as she prepared herself for his answer.

Taking in Christine's undeniable look of apprehension, Erik felt as if his heart stopped and wondered if he dared to hope at a chance to win back her love. Smiling through his trepidation, Erik looked up unseeingly at the starlit sky. He questioned if he had the right to her forgiveness. He questioned if he had the right to hope of having even a small part of her or his son's future.

Seeing Erik struggle in his suffering silence, Christine felt as if his sorrow were reaching out and caressing her heart with unerring ruthlessness. Closing her eyes against the intense pain, Christine called out to Erik in an anguished whisper, "Erik?"

Hearing his name upon her sweet lips, Erik turned and looked down into her sorrow-filled eyes and knew that he and he alone was responsible for her pain. "I'm here to make sure that you and the baby have everything you could possibly need," he said gently and gazed down tenderly at her.

Christine bit her bottom lip, and tasted the coppery tang of her own blood. She stared up at Erik and felt the all-too-familiar uncertainty that threatened to drive her mad. "Maybe I asked the wrong question," she intoned to Erik with frustrated tears filling her pale blue eyes. "Maybe I should have asked what is it that you want from me?"

Erik's throat convulsed as he watched her tears begin to trail down her cheeks. Reaching out, he gently wiped away the twin rivulets with gentle sweeps of his thumbs as he fought to find the words that would put her at ease. "What I want more than anything else in this world is for a second chance," he said so earnestly that Christine's breath hitched within her throat. "I want a chance to show you how much I love you," he said as he allowed the depth of his emotion to shine unguardedly upon his perfect face. "How much I have always loved you," he said truthfully, and he dared to bestow a reverent kiss upon her parted lips.

Christine closed her eyes and gave herself up to Erik's gentle kiss, leaning into his familiar strength with a feeling of overwhelming love. Her heart pounding in joyful release, she reached up and entwined her fingers in the thick hair at the nape of his neck, enjoying the pleasure that only he could bring to her.

Erik was elated at Christine's welcoming response. He lifted his head, and stared down at the face that had both haunted and enchanted him for the past fifteen years. "Christine," he whispered lovingly as he tenderly pushed away a stray curl from her smooth cheek.

Seeing Erik's love for her revealed clearly on his face, Christine felt as if she were emerging from a deep dream. _Can he really love me? Can I really trust him with my heart? __Can I forget that he blames me for all that has befallen him? Can I forgive him for the utter hell he has put me through? _her mind questioned painfully as she let her hands slip from his hair to slide slowly down the lapels of his coat. "Erik," she began as she closed her eyes to block out the pleading look in his beautiful eyes. "I can't," she whispered with profound sadness borne from the years of unimaginable pain, and she took a step back to gain some much-needed distance.

Erik felt a chill settle about him as he watched Christine slip away from him once again. Nodding his head in quiet understanding, he smiled sadly as he resigned himself to her wishes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" his voice trailed off as he swallowed past the large lump of pain that threatened to fill his being.

Christine's heart sank as she watched Erik's uncharacteristic reaction to her rejection. "Erik," she called out as she reached out a comforting hand.

Erik stiffened as he felt her pitying touch upon his arm. "It's almost nine," he said woodenly as he turned back from where they had come. "I'd better get you back before the nurse arrives."

As an impenetrable wall of silence fell between them, Christine fell into step at Erik's side, wondering if she had just sentenced herself to a lifetime of regret. _Why is it so hard?_ she asked herself silently as tears began to fall unheeded down her pale cheeks.

Erik's heart felt like lead within his chest as he walked up the path to Christine's home. He now at long last had his answer: he had lost her love. And with that lost love went any chance at a future filled with happiness. As they reached the steps to the porch, Erik reached out and took her elbow gently to guide her up the stairs. Without meeting her seeking gaze, he dropped his hand away with a feeling of heart-wrenching loss. Tightening his jaw he wished her an unsteady "Good night," and turned quickly to take his leave.

With a breaking heart Christine watched as Erik turned away to walk out of her life. She made a sudden decision. "Wait!" she called out frantically, Erik froze in his tracks. There was an unbearable look of defeat in Erik's features, and Christine could almost feel the two halves of her broken heart. She walked carefully to his side. "Erik, I…" her voice shook with the force of the emotion filling her. "I can't promise you anything," she said finally as she gently laid a fingertip to his lips.

Erik kissed her finger softly as he looked down at her with a look of sad understanding. "I know," he whispered sympathetically.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Christine cried brokenly, and Erik felt pierced to his very soul.

"Christine," Erik said tenderly as he lifted a trembling hand to her cheek. "I don't expect…" Christine stilled his words with a shake of her head.

"No," she said as she allowed herself to consider the possibility of risking her heart once again. _Dare I give Erik the chance to prove his love for me? Can I trust him to be a father to my baby? _her tormented mind questioned her relentlessly. "I think…" Christine paused as she fought to find some hidden inner strength from the depths of her tortured soul. "I think that we should just take it very slow and see what happens."

Erik felt as if he had just been kicked in the head by his champion stallion as he took in Christine's surprising suggestion.

Christine watched Erik in his stunned silence, and a strange sense of peace settled about her. A peace she hadn't known could exist until this one life-altering moment.

Recovering himself, Erik reached out and took Christine's small hand in his. "Thank you," he whispered with such quiet sincerity that it brought fresh tears to Christine's eyes.

"Will you come by tomorrow?" Christine asked, and the hopeful way she watched him warmed his heart.

"I'd like nothing better," he answered, the tenderness in his tone reaching out and caressing her adoringly. "Get some rest. I'll call you in the morning," Erik said, and he leaned over and kissed her lips softly.

Closing her eyes, Christine reveled in Erik's gentle kiss, unaware of the all-seeing eyes that watched from various neighborhood windows. Lifting his head reluctantly, Erik looked longingly at the incomparable beauty that was his Christine.

"Good night," she called out softly as she offered him a gentle smile.

"Good night," Erik echoed warmly as he watched over her with his protective gaze until she was safely inside, and only then did he release the pent-up air from his lungs. He turned and walked down the sidewalk into the cool night, with Christine's precious gift of a second chance filling his mind, a chance that he vowed to cherish with every beat of his heart.

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Ruth scowled at Erik's retreating form as she reached for the phone in order to alert John. "If you think that I will just sit idly by so you can just waltz into town and steal Christine away from my son then you are sadly mistaken, Mr. Dessler," she mumbled under her breath as she waited for John to answer his phone.

John emerged from the shower to his ringing cell phone, wrapping a towel around his lean hips; he reached for the phone and groaned aloud as he glanced at the caller id. Activating the call, he greeted his mother with a less-than-enthusiastic tone, "What is it, Mother?"

Ruth's lips tightened in a thin line as she listened to her ungrateful son. "'What is it' you ask?" she said so shrilly that John winced at the sharp shooting pain in his ear. "I'll tell you what it is! That Erik Dessler has been romancing your Christine all evening!"

"And just how is it that you are privy to this knowledge?" he asked in a slightly admonishing tone.

"Because while you are out playing cowboy, I am here looking after your interests," Ruth responded sharply.

John banked down the chuckle that threatened to escape his lips while he listened to his mother's tirade. "And just what interests are we talking about?" he asked with a mischievous gleam lighting his blue eyes.

"What interests!" Ruth all but screamed down the line. "_Christine,_ you idiot! If you're not careful, that Erik Dessler will steal her right out from under your nose!"

Shaking his head, John crossed to his closet to extract his jeans. "You don't say," he drawled in a slow manner that had his mother incensed at his lack of alarm.

"I do say," Ruth hissed between her clenched teeth, and she wondered why God had deemed to punish her with this disagreeable son. "You'd better get your butt over here and do some damage control."

Hearing the very real anger in his mother's tone, John relented. "I guess I could give Christine a call and see if she was up to a visitor," he said with a conciliatory tone.

"Yes, that's what you should do," Ruth said as she nodded her head approvingly. "Make sure that you bring her some flowers."

"Flowers?" John said with feigned bewilderment which about sent his mother through the roof.

"Yes, flowers! That smooth operator Dessler brought a huge armload with him when he came to dinner," Ruth said disgustedly.

"Is that so?" John remarked casually in his unerring quest to unsettle his mother.

"YES!" Ruth yelled into the phone.

"It's after nine, the flower shop is closed, maybe I should just wait until tomorrow when I pick her up for the childbirth class," John said smoothly as he juggled the phone while he pulled on his black briefs.

"Childbirth classes?" Ruth questioned sharply as she tightened her grip on the phone.

"Christine asked me to be her coach in the delivery room; the classes begin tomorrow evening," John informed her nonchalantly.

Ruth sank down onto her sofa, and put a hand to her heart, overwhelmed by the immense honor that Christine had bestowed upon her firstborn. "Do you know what that means?" she said in an awe-filled tone.

"It means that she wants me to help her out in the delivery room," John intoned lightly as he pulled on his form-fitting jeans.

"You can be so obtuse sometimes, John," Ruth leveled down the phone line at her son.

"And you can be extremely meddlesome most of the time, Mother," he retaliated dryly. "I've got to go now, Mother."

"Are you going to call on Christine?" Ruth asked sharply.

"Why don't you just stay at your post and see for yourself," he said smugly as he ended the call abruptly.

Ruth looked down at the phone with a scowl as she listened to the hum of the dial tone. "My post indeed," she said sullenly to herself as she took her familiar position by the front window, providing a careful watch over her son's future.


	26. Chapter 26

**I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time. **

**A/N Yes, EV is back! Thanks for all of your incredible patience. Hope you like the return of poor groveling Erik and a still very wary Christine. While I have had the most amazing Betas in the past, I have decided that I am going beta-less as I don't want to take this too seriously and want to just keep these stories as a fun hobby. So please excuse the errors, as there are sure to be many. Thanks! **

**Author – ToryD Erik's Vengeance**

**Chapter 26**

"How are the repairs on the house coming?" Erik asked as he continued signing a large stack of VIM correspondence that Nadir had put in front of him.

"We should be able to move in by the end of the week," Nadir said as he helped himself to a cup of coffee that Meg had made earlier. "Did you have a chance to approve the final designs?"

"Good morning," Christine greeted as she entered her small kitchen.

Erik instantly rose from his chair, a welcoming smile upon his handsome face. "Good morning Christine, how are you feeling?"

"I feel as if I'm as big as a house," she said with a grin as she took the empty chair next to Erik's.

"You look beautiful," Erik complemented her softly with an adoring look in his green eyes.

Blushing slightly under Erik's gaze, Christine turned to greet Nadir. "Good morning Nadir."

"Good morning Christine," He said with a smile. "Erik, if you can finish signing those last few I can then get them off to the New York office."

Retuning to his chair Erik finished signing the last of the contracts. "Make sure that Ron makes the revisions on the Thornton deal before the offer is made," he instructed with an authority that caused a shiver to race down Christine's spine at the familiar tone she had heard so often when she was under Erik's employ.

"Right," Nadir agreed as he took the stack of papers and placed them in his briefcase. "I'd best be off then. Erik I'll see you at the hotel later this afternoon?"

"Yes, I'd like to go over the purchase price and projected costs to upgrade the mill so we can make a decision by the end of the week."

"I've already gotten a solid purchase price from Mr. Sanderson and I'll make sure Andy has the other figures ready. See you later. Goodbye Christine," Nadir called as he made his way out of the small kitchen.

"Goodbye Nadir," Christine called back as she looked at Erik with a confused expression. "Are you talking about the Sanderson Textile Mill?"

"Yes, Nadir discovered the mill on one of his morning runs. Seemed like it might prove to be a profitable investment," Erik said absently not wanting to tip his hand any more that necessary. "Meg's at the store this morning so can I make you something for breakfast?"

"I didn't know you could cook," Christine said with a surprised smile.

"Yep, my mother made sure that I learned early in life. So what can I get you? An egg white omelet with whole wheat toast?" he asked as he quickly assessed his options under her doctor's diet plan.

"That sounds perfect," Christine responded gratefully.

Erik began to look in cabinets and the refrigerator for his ingredients. "So what's on your agenda for the day?"

"Besides being waited on hand and foot and watched as if I am about to go into labor at any moment you mean?" Christine asked with a humorous sarcasm lacing her words.

Erik smiled with a slightly guilty expression. "Yes, I mean other than that."

"Meg and I are going to go shopping for baby clothes later this afternoon and then I have my first childbirth class this evening with John," Christine informed him, unaware that the mention of the childbirth class immediately brought a painful intimate picture of Christine with John to his mind.

"So you have a full day planned," Erik said stiltedly as he began to separate the eggs for Christine's omelet.

Hearing a strange quality in Erik's tone Christine quickly reviewed her previous statement. Closing her eyes, she cursed herself for her insensitivity. "Oh and I guess we are still on for our walk?" she asked softly hoping to rectify her unintentional slight.

Erik brightened instantly. "Yes of course, what time is your class over?"

"I should be back here by nine." Christine said as she rose rather clumsily from her chair to get some juice.

"I'll be here. Would you mind if we stopped by the house as well? I would like your opinion on some decorating decisions," Erik asked as he watched her with a hungry gaze.

"You bought that old house at the edge of town didn't you?" Christine asked with a slight edge to her tone as she filled her glass with orange juice.

"Yes," Erik said as he watched her closely for her reaction.

"Erik," Christine said with a telling nervousness that she could not hide. "What are your plans here in Freedom?"

"What are you asking Christine?" he countered feeling as though he were treading on dangerous ground.

"I'm asking what are you doing. You recently bought a home and now you are looking into buying the textile mill. Are you planning to stay in Freedom long term?" she asked directly not even bothering to hide her apprehension.

Seeing that Christine was becoming upset, Erik crossed the kitchen to her side. Reaching out he tenderly caressed her cheek in an attempt to ease some of the worry that was so evident upon her face. "I am planning to stay at least until the baby is born, and then a month or so afterwards if you will allow me."

"I…" Christine began worriedly only to be stopped by Erik's fingertip to her lips.

"You don't have to say anything Christine," he said somewhat sadly. "I know that you can't begin to forgive me for the past. I have come to terms with that, but I still feel a responsibility to you and the baby. So if you will please allow me this time to be here for you I promise that I will leave when you ask it of me."

Christine felt a feeling of alarm race through her at the thought of Erik leaving her and their son behind. "Erik," Christine said in a beseeching manor that Erik mistook for pity.

Shaking his head, he put a stop to the conversation that was clearly causing Christine distress. "Have a seat and I'll get back to your breakfast," he said as he turned away from her.

Staring after him for a short moment longer, Christine wondered how she could come to terms without having Erik in her life. Yet she also didn't know quite how she could cope with him in her life. Drawing in a deep breath, she crossed to take a seat at the table, knowing that within the next two months she had better find some answers to the questions that both her and her baby's futures depended on.

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"Oh Erik!" Christine exclaimed as she crossed to the huge bay window in the large county kitchen. "This would be the perfect place to have family meals."

Erik stood in the doorway smiling at the excitement in Christine's features. "So what do you think about colors?"

Looking around Christine imagined a warm amber tone with accents of hunter green. "I guess if it were my kitchen I'd like to see it in shades of gold and green."

Making a mental note, Erik walked towards the woman he loved. "And what kind of appliances?"

Frowning in concentration Christine considered his question. "I guess I'd get the ones that had the same wood paneling as the cabinets."

"Ah, you're right, I do think that would make it very welcoming," Erik said as he once again made mental notes for his decorator. "Let's go on upstairs," he said as he held out his hand to her.

Smiling Christine took his hand and let him lead her up to the second floor while daydreaming just for a moment that this was their home that they were planning the décor for together.

"Here is the nursery suite," Erik said as he pushed open the door to a three-room suite that included a playroom, bedroom and bathroom.

Gasping, Christine raced as fast as her large stomach would allow her into the room. "Oh Erik," she said with such a reverence that Erik smiled. "I can just see a rocker over there," she said excitedly as she pointed over towards the large window overlooking a serene garden.

A picture of Christine rocking their son to sleep instantly came to his mind's eye and Erik felt a feeling of such all-encompassing love fill him for her and his unborn child.

Christine looked back over her shoulder and saw the unmistakable love shining intently from Erik's eyes. She gasped as emotional tears began to well within her own. Without knowing how, she found herself back at Erik's side. Lifting her arms, she encircled Erik's neck and stood on tiptoe to raise her lips to meet his in a soft gentle kiss.

Erik felt his heart slam into his chest at the unexpected kiss Christine initiated. Gently enfolding her within his arms, he returned her kiss with a reverence filled with all of the love he held for her.

"Erik," Christine whispered with her long held desire so evident in her tone.

Looking down, Erik took in her beautiful features and the lone tear that escaped to trail slowly down her cheek. Lifting his hand, he caught the tear on the pad of his thumb and wiped it gently away. "I love you Christine," he said with such simplicity that Christine felt the truth of his words to the very depth of her soul.

Frowning, Christine looked up into his eyes with a feeling of helplessness that she was as of yet still not ready to accept his love. "Erik, I…"

Smiling Erik leaned down and placed a silencing kiss upon her lips. "No heavy discussions tonight," he ordered as he took her hand once again in his to lead her to the other rooms. "Now what color do you think would best suit this room?"

Christine didn't know if she should be grateful or annoyed with Erik at his convenient dodging of the white elephant within the room. "I suppose that blue is the customary color for baby boy's rooms," she said in an adopted tone that was successful in hiding the torment that she was still feeling with their unresolved issues.

"So you see blue then?" he asked as he pulled her towards the bathroom that was equipped with a changing table, large sink and bath.

"I think that a soft muted green shade would be nice for a baby," she said absently as she trailed a hand on the cool marble of the sink.

Smiling, Erik watched as Christine came to terms with their shared desire, knowing that at least she like he was not immune. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow evening?" he asked as he waited for her to join him at the room's doorway.

"No," Christine answered as she looked up at him.

"I thought that you could join me for dinner if you feel up to it," he suggested with a lazy smile that caused Christine's heart to flutter nervously like it used to when she first dated Erik so many years before.

"I'd like that," she answered almost shyly.

"Good," Erik said with a triumphant smile on his handsome face as he held out his hand.

Taking his outstretched hand once again, Christine let him lead her on the rest of the tour, wondering if they could put their differences aside and be able to find some common ground for a future filled with happiness that had eluded them both for so long.

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Essie and Leona hurried as fast as two elderly women could up Christine's driveway, attempting to go unnoticed by the ever-watchful Ruth.

"Did we make it?" Essie whispered to her sister as they entered the kitchen through the back entrance.

"I thought I saw her blinds move," Leona said with an unhappy look upon her weathered face.

"Well it can't be helped. Ruth will just have to come to terms with our decision to align ourselves with Erik," Essie sighed, not at all happy that they were working against one of their oldest and dearest friends. "Besides, if Ruth were honest with herself, she would see that Christine and Erik are the two that belong together."

"You're right of course," Leona agreed as she looked at her watch. "Didn't Meg tell us to be here at eleven?"

"Yes," Essie responded as she looked at the deserted kitchen. "I guess they were held up at Christine's doctor's appointment. We'd better just sit and wait. I wonder what Erik has planned for Christine this evening?"

A familiar glint alighted Leona's eyes as she set about informing her sister on the things she had learned on this morning's trip to the drug store. "Well, I spoke with Bobby John this morning and he told me that Erik had rented out the entire dining room of the Redtree restaurant for tonight. He also told me that there have been quite a few deliveries made by Erik's helicopter today. Oh! And one more thing, everyone was given the night off with full pay. I guess Erik is having his own people prepare and serve the meal."

"How romantic," Essie sighed with a dreamy look in her clear blue eyes. "I wish I had had such a suitor in my day."

"I guess we all can't be as lucky as Christine, not that she knows it," Leona said with a little irritation slipping into her words.

"Leona! You know as well as I that Erik has put Christine through hell and it is just going to take some time for her to forgive him is all," Essie admonished her sister sharply.

"I know, I know, it's just that I have never seen a man suffering so much as poor Erik. She could at least show him a little bit of encouragement."

"What do you think she's doing! She's going on a date with him tonight. To hear you talk she should just lie down and invite him into her bed!" Essie finished with an affronted look towards her sister.

"That's how you caught Craig Stafford," Leona muttered under breath as she recalled her sister's seduction of the young man over fifty years ago.

Essie's face turned a bright scarlet as she drew in several sharp breaths at her sister's shocking revelation. "And just how did you know that?"

"Oh come on Essie! You can't expect me to not know what the whole town knew. It was quite the scandal if I remember correctly. Old Craig was all set to propose to Shirley Massy and you cornered him at the barn dance and got him stinking drunk. From there it was told that you took him off to lover's lane and made a man of him," Leona finished with a gleeful look at the confirmation her words were receiving in her sister's rage filled eyes.

"Well I never!" Essie exploded only to be forestalled by her sister's amused response.

"That's not what I heard," Leona said in a singsong voice that only incited her sister's rage to the boiling point.

About to blast her sister for her lack of good manors and family loyalty, Essie was abruptly silenced as the kitchen door burst open to admit a tearful Christine and frowning Meg.

"Excuse me," Christine whimpered as she brushed past Essie and Leona.

"Meg, what on earth has happened?" Essie asked Meg as she stared after Christine with worry etched into every line of her wrinkled face.

Smiling Meg placed her purse on the counter. "Christine couldn't find a dress that would fit her at Maxine's shop."

"Oh," Essie and Leona said in unison.

"Well Maxine should keep a better stock of maternity fashions!" Leona said with an irritated look.

"She did have a few dresses that fit, but they were pretty matronly for someone as young as Christine," Meg said sadly.

"Maxine wouldn't know what was in style if it bit her on her big butt!" Essie chimed in with her own two cents.

"I guess it's too late for us to go up to Helena," Meg said with a resigned sigh knowing that Christine was wanting to look her best for her date with Erik this evening.

A calculating look entered Leona's eyes as she looked from her sister back to Meg. "Not necessarily. If we had a helicopter at our disposal then we could make it there and back in time," she speculated with a smile.

Catching on, Meg stood and reached for the phone. While she waited for her call to connect, she smiled at Leona. "Ms. Leona, Cinderella couldn't have had a better fairly godmother than you."

Please with the comparison, Leona beamed.

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**A/N Next chapter, Erik and Christine's big date. They will finally talk about some of their past mistakes…but will they come to a meeting of the minds??? I should have the next chapter of Lost and Found up shortly as well, it's half done already. Please review, they really do make my day. **


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